Jace

Here is a close up of the marking on the saber. It is very small and difficult to take a picture of unfortunately.

Hello Bruce, yes I am aware that the saber is more of a Japanese ceremonial sword but thank you for confirming that. That sword does have a marking on the top part of the hand guard but it is difficult to make out. I also am not sure if it would be good to take it apart since the handle seems to have been riveted together. The shorter swords cutting edge is about 16 inches. One thing I have read is that in some cases swords factory produces during WWII were sometimes engraved with prestigious markings as more of an honorary deal rather than it being “original”. I believe this is referred to as gimei vs true mei? i am just not sure how to tell which case is true for this sword.

John, Thank you for your insight it is much appreciated. Do you mind if I ask what makes you think it’s older? Also, If it was a family sword, would it have more specific markings on it (like family name) or is that just in some cases? My apologies I have very little knowledge regarding this stuff. Yes, you are correct the bayonet is a čsz Czechoslovakian made m24 Mauser bayonet.

Thanks a ton Ray. Is this a typical marking for WWII era swords? I’m not sure of the significance of a marking like this.

I inherited a Japanese sword that my great grandpa picked up in Papa New Guinea during WWII. I’ve removed the hilt and was wondering if anyone would be able to translate these markings. It’s a bit hard to read with the rust but I did an etching and drew generally how the symbols look on the paper. Thanks a ton for the help!