Death-Ace Posted January 30, 2012 Report Posted January 30, 2012 Hi guys! Unfortunately, since my camera's broken (and the Android under repair), I have no pictures for the time being. I bought two swords from an antiques dealer friend for a very good price. They are both in rough shape, but couldn't pass them up (the oil tempered Kai-Gunto with black leather cover will look good with the new Naval Area of collecting I'm hoping to delve into). The other one is a Tokyo Arsenal (Star with circle) Type 95. I have tried to look for more of these online, but have found only one other with the majority being Kokuras and a few Jinsen arsenal blades mixed in. #7 on Mr. Ohmura's page (http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_077.htm) has the exact markings. The scabbard and blade do match and the vast majority of the paint is on the scabbard with paint still on the handle. Until I have photos available, can anyone tell me the history of their part in their manufacture and their numbers today? (with such a high serial number, I'd think there'd be a lot more out there unless they all "shared" them?) Thanks! Lev Quote
Stegel Posted January 31, 2012 Report Posted January 31, 2012 Hi Lev, The type 95, (you mention with the arsenal stamps being what they are) is not that uncommon to find, they appear on ebay fairly often, but, admittedly are not as plentiful as the earlier version with the #1-#3 markings The serial numbers are higher indicating a mid to late war period of production (more likely mid) I'm not sure what you mean by 'shared', if you mean 'same' serial numbers used between the different factory/arsenal combinations, there is no evidence of that as far as i know. Ernst Quote
Death-Ace Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Posted January 31, 2012 Hi Lev, The type 95, (you mention with the arsenal stamps being what they are) is not that uncommon to find, they appear on ebay fairly often, but, admittedly are not as plentiful as the earlier version with the #1-#3 markings The serial numbers are higher indicating a mid to late war period of production (more likely mid) I'm not sure what you mean by 'shared', if you mean 'same' serial numbers used between the different factory/arsenal combinations, there is no evidence of that as far as i know. Ernst Ernst, Thank you! It's most likely mid, it's a 2nd variation with the brass tsuba. It's been ten years since I first started my full interest in militaria and Nihonto and it still gets me how much effort they put into producing these tsukas to look like the real deal. I guess by shared, I mean as if they took turns? Must've had a dumb moment as surely that can't be the case. Lev Quote
Stegel Posted January 31, 2012 Report Posted January 31, 2012 No probs, I'll wait to see some pics, as i have a few of these myself. Naval collection eh? i have a very short naval Kai-Gunto, either naval pilot or mini sub use, not sure. Ernst Quote
Death-Ace Posted February 2, 2012 Author Report Posted February 2, 2012 No probs, I'll wait to see some pics, as i have a few of these myself. Naval collection eh? i have a very short naval Kai-Gunto, either naval pilot or mini sub use, not sure. Ernst Ernst, Will show the pics of the NCO tomorrow. Unfortunately the camera we bought doesn't have flash, so back it goes to Best Buy. Snapped a few to test it though, to out advantage. The Kai Gunto is (as Mr. Bowen and Grey translated, kudos) as a Yoshisada produced in '43. It has a Seki arsenal mark, so it's an oil-tempered, surely. The funny thing is that the saya (plain wooden with two ashi) has an ersatz black cover. It doesn't look to be leather, but rather some type of paper material? Unfortunately someone buggered the mekugi-ana portion of the tsuka and replaced the mekugi with part of a chop stick. The scabbard is rough and it didn't help that I scratched it a little more with my toenail when I tripped. Ahh, a short KG! Only saw one once at the Original Fort Worth Gun Show. I believe the owner, a dealer, is named Nagasa or so? He was trained as a Kamikaze in the last days of the war. Trade pics? :D Quote
Stegel Posted February 2, 2012 Report Posted February 2, 2012 i also have a wooden scabbard with some material type finish, not sure exactly what it is, perhaps it's the similar. I'll get some pics up for you. /Ernst Quote
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