Officer's shin-gunto on Estand

[wessel]

Another member has aked me to post my sword on the Forum for discusion, so I would welcome your comments. It is for sale at £625.

[wessel]

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[wessel]

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[wessel]

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[Daniel Griffin]

Was the member concerned that it was fake? It looks to be original to me.

[gunto]

Hi,
No doubt its real ,but with postwar mixed army and navy parts.

[Bob Coleman]

Hi,
No doubt its real ,but with postwar mixed army and navy parts.

I must disagree with my colleague as to being postwar assembled. I have seen a few swords with a naval pattern menuki on what would be considered an army mounting. I always had my thoughts on this and was able to confirm it with a period source. I picked up a sword in all standard steel scabbard army mountings with the naval menuki. Inside was a blade made by Kanami Masataka made at the Minatagawa Jinga. The blades made here were under the sponsorship of the Japanese Navy. Masataka being the senior sword smith at the Jinga. His real name was Kanami Moriwaki. I had a chance to meet him personally and strike up a relationship. He confirmed my thoughts that officers of the Naval Landing Forces at times had thier blades mounted in the army style mounting as it was better designed for combat use over the standard kaigunto mounting. He and I continued to correspond until his death.
The owner of this blade in this ad stated the army junior officer knot was added. It also appears to have a black leather saya cover in lieu of the army brown leather. One also encounters period gunto mounted swords with civilian tsuba of not great merit such as the one on the sword in question.

[gunto]

Imo ,kabutogana is pressed to much over the ito .
Kabutogana mounted wrong way?
Sarute screw is missing?
A close up photo of this would be nice.
Are there seppas?

Br
Thomas

[Bob Coleman]

After examining this sword in hand, it is definitely the sword of an Imperial Navy Landing Force officer. The tsuka is 100% standard naval model. The tsuba is an armor maker's tsuba from the 19th century. The blade is an unsigned Showa era blade and the saya is unifinished wood with a black leather field covering.

[gunto]

How many mekugiana is there on the nakago?
Seller never showed nakago.
The fuchi looks to wide for the tsuka.
Still doubt.

[Bob Coleman]

How many mekugiana is there on the nakago?
Seller never showed nakago.
The fuchi looks to wide for the tsuka.
Still doubt.

the nakago has one mekugi ana. Everything on the tsuka is standard IJN. The fuchi is normal. The mount fits together like a Swiss watch. With Japanese swords, there is always something new to learn. The owner added the army tassle not knowing it was incorrect.

[gunto]

Yes, new tings to learn. Thanks.