Fake Shin Gunto Type 98

[Baikal_95]

Hi,

 

I would like to know your advice on the following Shin Gunto Type 98.

 

It looks pretty good to me but there are a few stuff I am not comfortable with:

1. Tang of the sword has been painted

2. Two holes (mekugi-ana) and not just one

3. A SEKI Unit Inspection mark on the right hand side of the tang (but contradictory with a reuse of the katana that could explain the two mekugi-ana? - point2)

 

 

[Baikal_95]

I sorry I sent the message a bit early. 

 

So I thank in advance anyone who can confirm if it's a fake or real Shin Gunto 98 and also helping me to identify the character written on the tang.

 

Thanks all for your support !

[PNSSHOGUN]

The Koshirae and blade are real, no doubt about that. The question is are they both original to each other? Two holes in the Nakago is somewhat concerning but not unheard of, the paint is inexplicable and likely done post war.

[Matsunoki]

Painted quite possibly to prevent rusting….by someone not familiar with the subject?

Which mekugi ana is currently in use? 
Maybe machi okuri to slightly reduce Nagasa…..then nakago does look a bit “long”?

[Bruce Pennington]

Awaiting translation of mei .....

[Kiipu]

6 hours ago, Baikal_95 said:

... also helping me to identify the character written on the tang.

 

小森勝幸 = Komori Katsuyuki.

 

Links to @k morita & @Nobody translations of signature.

seki-stamped tang, mei help needed

&

Mei Translation Help Needed - thank you

[Baikal_95]

3 minutes ago, Kiipu said:

 

小森勝幸 = Komori Katsuyuki.

Thank you 

[vajo]

https://thebestantique.com/product/original-ww-ii-Japanese-army-officers-shin-gunto-samurai-sword/

The name is in the description. 

[Baikal_95]

4 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

Painted quite possibly to prevent rusting….by someone not familiar with the subject?

Which mekugi ana is currently in use? 
Maybe machi okuri to slightly reduce Nagasa…..then nakago does look a bit “long”?

For the painting of the tang as all the letters are mainly covered by the paint. So we can guess that has been probably done post war. I am guessing that if it was done by a military unit to protect the sword they would have done it prior the inspection process. So that we should have seen the inspection stamp in black and not painted...I am just making assumptions. Maybe overthinking. For the mekugi ana I think that the second one. But not sure. Need to double check. Thanks for your support.

[Baikal_95]

1 minute ago, vajo said:

https://thebestantique.com/product/original-ww-ii-Japanese-army-officers-shin-gunto-samurai-sword/

The name is in the description. 

Thanks. It was not on this website I saw it. But definitely it is this one. Thanks

[Matsunoki]

1 minute ago, Baikal_95 said:

For the mekugi ana I think that the second one.

Which one is the second one?🙂 nearest the habaki or nearest the jiri?

Paint 99% applied after the war by well meaning badly advised owner

Also note the tsuka ito looks very new……recent re-wrap?

[vajo]

Colin the ito looks good and original but it is broken. The is on good condition. It is not a gendaito so the yellow color on the nakago should not be a problem. 

[Baikal_95]

21 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

Which one is the second one?🙂 nearest the habaki or nearest the jiri?

Paint 99% applied after the war by well meaning badly advised owner

Also note the tsuka ito looks very new……recent re-wrap?

Sorry my bad I was looking from the top to the bottom. So the one nearest to the jiri. But I may be wrong. In regards to the tsuka ito I agree. And also it looks like unfinished nearby the Koshirae (pic 1). So probably a re-wrap. Thanks

[Matsunoki]

2 minutes ago, vajo said:

Colin the ito looks good and original but it is broken.

Chris hello, you may be correct (I am no expert!) . It just looked too clean and fresh to me. I think in the link to the sword on another website that you posted it looked like it had been rewrapped over a damaged tsuka? (Damage near the habaki)?

 

[Matsunoki]

[Michaelr]

As far as the paint is concerned, I worked for GM at a plant that built airplanes in WW2 and they used a yellow primer on government parts. Can’t remember if it was called zinc- oxide or something else. I am sure that this same primer would have been available a lot of places during the war and after. This makes me believe, like others have said, it was probably painted by the GI that picked it up or maybe post war. Like the sword.   
 MikeR

[Baikal_95]

4 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

Chris hello, you may be correct (I am no expert!) . It just looked too clean and fresh to me. I think in the link to the sword on another website that you posted it looked like it had been rewrapped over a damaged tsuka? (Damage near the habaki)?

 

Thanks Colin. I think the damaged you mentioned near by the habaki is the press button to remove the sword from the saya/scabbard. It's typical on the 98 type (militari sword). But never the less the ito still seems pretty new.

[Baikal_95]

3 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

Yes it was what I am guessing. It's not a defect. It's the "spring" of the press button of the type 98 

[Baikal_95]

I just posted here an example of another original Shin Gunto Type 98 that I got in my collection and the Ito is a way more used. The blade was not in as good condition as this one. But still give me the feeling of an unachieved re-wrap of the Ito.

 

[vajo]

Yeah Collin you are right. The Tsuka is damaged.

A lot of money is asked for that sword 

[Matsunoki]

6 minutes ago, Baikal_95 said:

. I think the damaged you mentioned near by the habaki is the press button to remove the sword from the saya/scabbard. It's typical on the 98 type (militari sword).

Agreed but i don’t think it should be showing like that ?

[Baikal_95]

12 hours ago, Baikal_95 said:

Yes it was what I am guessing. It's not a defect. It's the "spring" of the press button of the type 98 

 

12 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

Agreed but i don’t think it should be showing like that ?

Yes. You're right. Looking at mine cf. pic attached). The "same" should be over the spring of the press button. More I am looking at it more I am thinking of a remade handle with bad ito finish. The "same" looks a bit too bright to me and same for the ito. I could be wrong but I got this feeling...

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

The photos are not good and detailed enough to be sure, but I have the impression that the HAMON does not look oil-quenched.

[Bruce Pennington]

8 hours ago, Kiipu said:

小森勝幸 = Komori Katsuyuki.

Thanks Thomas!  I never would have figured that one out!

[PNSSHOGUN]

The price is completely delusional, the final nail in the coffin.

[Baikal_95]

16 hours ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

The price is completely delusional, the final nail in the coffin.

Yes the price is very high. However it's really difficult to find such piece in Europe so that the resellers are taking advantage of it.

Unfortunately if you try to buy it from the US where the items are of better quality and price, when you start adding the shipping $ + VAT $ + Custom $ you end up poorly with a very high price. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Having sent quite a few swords to France, it isn't a huge deal for a seller to mitigate the import taxes.

[vajo]

John.

Sending costs + Sword price = +20% Vat

Price without VAT = +7% custom

Price for import = +-70 EUR for the Atlas import sheet.

 

If you have a sword 2.000 US Dollar + 50 Dollar sending import into EU.

2050 USD ~

1856 EUR

+371 EUR

+103 EUR

+70 EUR

= 2400 EUR

~2650 Dollar