Type 95 Black Saya

[Conway S]

[Bruce Pennington]

Here's an all black one posted by @Ooitame

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

A black painted officer sword posted by RonR on this Wehrmacht-awards Thread. Solid provenance says it was never in post-war G.I. or collector's hands, meaning it is in wartime condition:

 

[Kiipu]

Looks like a name stamped on the crossguard.

高塚 Takatsuka plus other pronunciations.

The first name is hard to make out but ends with 崎.

[Kiipu]

Ran across this a few days ago while reading Dawson's book.  The quote is coming from a picture caption and is easily overlooked.

 

Quote

According to military historian SASAMA Yoshihiko 笹間良彦, black hilt tape and black scabbards date to 1943.

 

Dawson, Jim. Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868–1945. Cyclopedia edition. Stenger-Scott Publishing, 2007. Page 156.

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, Kiipu said:

高塚 Takatsuka plus other pronunciations

Guy, at W-A, said:

"高塚 Takatsuka / Kōtsuka /Kōzuka
尾崎 Ozaki"

[Bruce Pennington]

A Type 98, Nobumitsu, found by @Shadow_Frog HERE:

[Bruce Pennington]

Latest one posted by @Bloodaxe924 here:

 

[Bruce Pennington]

I know that shadowing and the fact that it's a black & white photo could be falsely giving the impression, but this could be a black painted saya.  It's clearly a Type 95, steel tsuba (sorry Sam, no numbers, Ha!):

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

6 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

I know that shadowing and the fact that it's a black & white photo could be falsely giving the impression, but this could be a black painted saya.  It's clearly a Type 95, steel tsuba (sorry Sam, no numbers, Ha!):

 

Bruce

The sword in the photo doesn’t look like a Type 95. The scabbard has no suspension ring like T95, and the handle is clearly longer than Type 95. It’s likely a privately owned sword brought to war — a military-carried personal katana, in a civilian mount like this one.

 

 

[robinalexander]

For interest.

 

Copper Type 95 (1st pattern) with mismatched later black saya.

 

Currently for sale via J C Militaria UK.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said:

The scabbard has no suspension ring like T95, and the handle is clearly longer than Type 95.

Trystan,

You caused me to go back to the Wehrmacht-awards thread, and sure enough, he stated the 3 photos were of "naval landing forces."  So it was a Type 97.  I can see a sarute in the navy kabutogane.

[BANGBANGSAN]

10 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Trystan,

You caused me to go back to the Wehrmacht-awards thread, and sure enough, he stated the 3 photos were of "naval landing forces."  So it was a Type 97.  I can see a sarute in the navy kabutogane.

NLF officer did not necessarily always carry Type 97s; some also carried personal katanas in simplified (略装) or civilian mounts. Some had one hanger, while others had two。

[Bruce Pennington]

4 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said:

some also carried personal katanas in simplified (略装) or civilian mounts.

Akira Komiya pointed out he men he is standing on are Army, and he believes the guy with large binoculars is an Army officer, so your idea that it was a civil sword in leather saya cover seems right on the money.