vajo Posted June 20, 2020 Report Share Posted June 20, 2020 Thats what i think Bruce. We should not seen them as a souvenier sword like a souviener in our western understanding. I'm really sure the people who made it, made it with proud in a time all was destroyed and the time of Japanese swords was gone. We should not forget that it was not sure that the Japanese could be allowed to forge swords further. And it took years, before the US war government allowed it to ignite the fire in the tosho again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiipu Posted April 27, 2021 Report Share Posted April 27, 2021 Another one for the record books. SJ-191. WW2 Japanese Navy Katana late war. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted April 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2021 And I should at least link that one in the Arsenal Stamps thread, with the rocking star stamp, here too: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiipu Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 On 9/26/2019 at 10:26 PM, Ian B3HR2UH said: Among the downloadable documents in the National Diet library website is a letter from Capt Wall dated 22 July 1949 where he seeks permission to take home one Naval type Japanese sword presented to him by Mr Yao supervisor of the Japanese Naval sword Manufacturing Co Kamakura. I ran across this letter yesterday and I will quote the exact text below. Note that part of the name of the company includes "Japanese Naval" and this would seem to indicate the type of sword the company was manufacturing. Quote 22 July 1949 SUBJECT: Collectors Items TO: Commanding General FEC, APO 500 ATTN: G-4 Plans & Policy 1. It is requested that I be permitted to take home one (1) Naval type Japanese sword presented to me by Mr. Yao, Supervisor of the Japanese Naval Sword Manufacturing Co., Kamakura, Honshu, Japan. 2. This sword is not a War trophy but is a souvenir manufactured for sale in the Post Exchange by Mr. Yao, Kamakura, Honshu, Japan. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted May 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2021 The work being done by Thomas @Kiipu is priceless. He has discovered more documents showing the investigation, deliberations, and resolution to the complaint raised by Tenzoshan officials, first found in the post-war documents posted by Stephen Thorpe. There were a total of 8,747 made. I've amended the "Mysterious Naval Landing Sword" article and attached them. The Mysterious Naval Landing Forces Sword.pdf 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted October 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2021 Wanted to post this one, found on THIS GUNS.RU THREAD. It has an undated blade with mei: Takayama To Masahiro made this; with small Toyokawa anchor. From the shadowing of the kasaki, it appears to have the fat tip of the Takayama styled blade. So the question is - did Masahiro continue to work for the Tenzoshan factory making blades for the souvenir operation, or was this a surplus blade? It is the first Takayama-to I've found in one of these. The growing variety of smiths and blades I'm finding in them seems to support the idea that at least some of the over 8,000 souvenirs they sold had surplus blades. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted January 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 I believe someone ran a thread asking if there were legitimate one-piece fuchi/seppa, but I cannot find it, so I'm posting this. It's relevant here, too, as it may be an example of the style copied by Tensoshan in making the souvenir set. It's a one-piece fuchi/seppa on a kaigunto posted for sale on Yahoo, HERE. It's on a Suetsugu Shigemitsu blade. Clearly naval, not the army style used for the souvenir, but maybe made by the same shop for the souvenir, post-war? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lareon Posted January 18, 2022 Report Share Posted January 18, 2022 here is a one piece fuchi seppa on this "ornate gunto" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted January 18, 2022 Report Share Posted January 18, 2022 The style they still make to this day? http://www.japansword.co.jp/military.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted January 19, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2022 I want to post these two from a discussion on the Translation Forum, to consolidate the items to this topic. One is a souvenir for sale on fleabay (mislabeled as a Navy kaigunto - seller notified) and the other posted by @MacTheWhopper HERE. They are interesting because both blades were made by Toyosuke, a Toyokawa Navy blade in Type 98 fittings, and the other in souvenir fittings. Toyosuke in Type 98 fittings: Toyosuke in Souvenir: So, either this smith was actively making swords both before and after the war, or as a minimum, there were surplus blades of his to use by Tenshozan after the war. Still doesn't prove either case, but I found it fascinating to see blades of the same smith in both wartime and post-war fittings. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 Here's an odd-ball for even the souvenir sword. Found on this Guns.ru thread. Over there, they immediately labeled it as a Chinese fake. I immediately labeled it as a post-war souvenir. But I am bothered by a few things. 1. The nakago is poor. No yasurime. Painted numbers, except for the first one, look like jibberish. Ana at end looks recently drilled. 2. There is actual same' and ito isn't the normal icky pale green found on souvenirs. 3. The army metal fittings aren't gilded. 4. Too many seppa for a souvenir, and the fuchi isn't the 1-piece fuchi/seppa. 5. The hamon looks fake. Could the Chinese fakers actually be faking the post-war souvenir??? Or, is it just a Chinese blade put into souvenir fittings? Or is it just an odd-ball? I have seen slight variations in them, albeit rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNSSHOGUN Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 This looks more like a mix of fake and real parts. The blade is certainly not Japanese. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROKUJURO Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 6) The new TSUKA-ITO is not bound correctly the Japanese way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajo Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 The bind looks in the same direction for me Jean. Typical chinese style. The seppa is not patinated. The fittings look very cheap. I think its fake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROKUJURO Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 That is what I meant, Chris. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajo Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 Ah sorry Jean. In my ignorrance and less english i overread it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiipu Posted August 31, 2022 Report Share Posted August 31, 2022 A souvenir sword made by Takeyasu. Somewhat rare Japanese Naval Kai Gunto signed Takayasu 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John C Posted November 18, 2022 Report Share Posted November 18, 2022 Bruce: I think this may be one of the souvenir swords referenced by your article "The Mysterious Naval Landing Forces Sword." https://www.ebay.com/itm/255826611966 John C. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted November 19, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2022 Nice find, John! Classic example in every aspect. Just added it to the files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiipu Posted February 24, 2023 Report Share Posted February 24, 2023 @mdiddy has a souvenir sword for sale on eBay. It looks to have three horizontal lines toward the bottom of the tang. *EXCELLENT* WWII Japanese Samurai Sword KAI GUNTO Shin Gunto World War 2 KATANA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 14 hours ago, Kiipu said: @mdiddy has a souvenir sword for sale on eBay Intereting one, Thomas. Well-made nakago and nice hamon. Could be left-over surplus from the war? Faint Toyokawa Arsenal stamp. Surprised our fellow member @mdiddy is calling this a WWII kaigunto in "late war Kai gunto mounts." He does add "This is a variant that was made late in the war and which were commonly handed out or sold to U.S. service members after the war." So closer to the truth. I admit that he is free to have his opinions. But the evidence is heavily weighted against the claim that they were made during the war. I mean like, 99% heavily weighted. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcstroud Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 Wanted to repost photos of a toyosuke sword that I posted in2016 titled"mystery marine mount in Puerto rico so as to perhaps dispel the put together from parts theory on some of the toyosuke saku blades in the photos you will see all parts numbered 45 in3 different formats ,ŕoman numeral,modified roman numeral, and in black paint kanji. However I cannot be sure when it was made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcstroud Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 Will ad more photos as the app will allow kudos to Bruce Pennington onhis arsenal stamps pdf a truly excellent reference source for newbys like me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcstroud Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 After having seen 6 different toyosuke saku swords all but one were the same except 1 shingunto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcstroud Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 1 more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcstroud Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 Found out that this sword was brought back by an korean war vet.fyi.Bruce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajo Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 Its upside down. My guess is Toyosuke saku seems to be a showa-to 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajo Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 Found a thread you refer. Sorry didn't read that you know the smith. Is that your sword? The koshirae is a souvenier sword. It was assembled after the war and sold in PX Stores to US Troops as souvenier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcstroud Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 No it has a diferent number in kanji on the nakago but same in other respects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcstroud Posted March 14, 2023 Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 I actually very impressed with the sharpness after 70 years without a polish.can still shave with it but i dont recommend it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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