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My grandpa’s war trophy


davidequis

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It was brought back from PNG. My Grandpa fought on Kokoda, sanananda, gona, buna, & Boganville, then to Rabaul and repatriation of pows through to 47.

 

Provenance is solid but place of acquisition is obscure. My uncle doesn’t remember but thinks they were handed out to officers in Rabaul (my pa by that stage was battlefield promoted to lieutenant colonel)

 

my childhood recollection of my grandma’s story is that it was presented to him on surrender somewhere. 

 

The Rabaul version is probs more likely.

 

Expert feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

many thanks in advance 

 

total length 93.5cm

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Type 98 fittings on an older blade (Nihonto guys will have to estimate era, but I'd guess no older than 1700's).  Family mon and open tsuba show a little extra money was spent by the officer having the blade mounted.  Late-war tassel or as Nick Komiya states, officer equivalent Gunzuko.

 

The mon was used by three Samurai lines - Asahina, Bessho, and Utsunomiya - but by WWII any family could adopt any crest, so no way to know if the owner was really from one of those lines.

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3 minutes ago, Dave R said:

 Looking at the patina I reckon Sengoku Era, possibly a bundle sword. It's also posted over at Nihonto, nice to see more pic's of of the Koshira here.

Thanks Dave,

I posted fewer pics in Nihonto because I assume that the Koshira are ww2 and not what the Nihonto guys want to see.

 

thanks for your input too Bruce.

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David,

 

I think Geraint in the Nihonto section could not have commented on your Grandfathers sword any better. Leave the sword alone albeit a little light oil on the blade.

 

Too me your sword says more than the most pristine Nagamitsu in a upgrade Rinji  Seishiki koshirae. It shows the misery of heat, moisture, humidity, mud, malaria, Dengue fever, abject suffering on all sides of the campaign your Grandfather indured.  Something he brought home as a memory of those he fought along side, and in honor of those who died.

 

There are those who admire nothing more than the monetary value of Nihonto,  a pristine sword,  flawless with a flamboyant hamon and hada,  which is fine.

As for me however, your sword is what WWll Japanese swords truly represents...treasure it as your families history, and for all of those who fought and died in the New Guinea Campaign.

 

Dave M.

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And be sure to pass the history of the sword on, you could even put it to paper so it can go with the sword so the history of it is not lost. Once a family member passes you cant go back and ask again. Looks like an excellent example as said above.

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