Shin gunto with rattan saya exterior

[Gerry]

Just came across this sword on Yahoo Japan, and I've never seen a shin gunto saya with a rattan exterior, as well as English numbers on a nakago.

 

 

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1207984988

[Joseph P.]

Hello Gerry,

I have seen a few of these wrapped saya recently. I don't think any of them were in type 98 fittings though. Hopefully someone can provide some more information.

 

[John C]

Western numbers were common, however stamped or painted not chiseled. Maybe Bruce @Bruce Pennington has seen it.

 

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

@SteveM Steve, can you translate the mei on this for us?

 

I have 3 on file with chiseled/etched numbers, but all 3 used Japanese numbers.  I feel like I've seen one with western numbers, but I don't have record of it.

Two of them are Type 95s and one is a Type 98.

98

95s - both were coppers

 

Thanks for the link on the ratan cover, Joseph!  @IJASWORDS said he's seen a few of these, and they were had Katsumasa blades.

[SteveM]

予士６３　Something like "Cadet 63". 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks, Steve!  I posted it over on Warrelics to run it by Guy and Akira to confirm.  Will update when they reply.

[Bruce Pennington]

You were close.  Guy's answer:

"予士 [Yoka]

「陸軍士官学校 (日本)」の記事における「「陸士」・ 「予士」・「航士」」の解説

陸軍予科士官学校
Rikugun Yoka Shikan Gakko
Army Officer Preparatory School

Quick machine translation:

Explanation of "Army Cadet," "Preparatory School," and "Navigation Officer" in the article "Army Academy (Japan)"

For details, see "Army Preparatory School" and "Army Aviation Academy." From the dawn of the Imperial Japanese Army until its dissolution, the organization underwent several transformations. However, the educational system remained two-tiered, consisting of a main course and a preparatory course, as in the old system, with clearly distinct educational content (#Curriculum). In 1937 (Showa 12), ..... [etc]

「陸軍士官学校 (日本)」の記事における「「陸士」・ 「予士」・「航士」」の解説

詳細は「陸軍予科士官学校」および� �陸軍航空士官学校」を参照 帝国陸軍の黎明期からその解体まで� �織には幾度の変容があるが、教育段� ��は旧制学校と同様に本科と予科の二 層立てであり、教育内容も明確に異� �る（#教育課程）。1937年（昭和12年） には人員増加等を理由に、予科は「� �軍予科士官学校」と分離独立した学� ��となった。同時期、現役航空兵科将 校（陸軍航空部隊向けの航空要員た� �現役兵科将校）の教育に特化させた� ��科として、「陸軍航空士官学校（当 初は「陸軍士官学校分校」）も分離� �立している。これらはそれぞれ「陸� ��」・「予士」・「航士」などと略称 された（#歴史）。........"

[SteveM]

予士 would have to be Yoshi, which is the abbreviated form of 予科士官 (Yoka Shikan).

 

I think the guys over there just made a careless mistake. They are very adept translators/researchers.