First I have to say I'm not a sword guy have been offered this for a trade but want to make sure its not a reproduction any help please and thank you in advance
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Its original
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Thanks Gunto I liked the detail and color left in the grooves of the handle but needed to make sure I thought the number stamping looked alittle offComment
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Salut,
The absence of lanyard loop and the scabbard/blade mismatch will affect the value but it looks all orriginal
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Nice!! what really makes these swords interesting is that they were used as combat weapons and not as parade items...Comment
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Always a pleasure to see a Type 95 NCO sword with character.
Yours is an aluminum tsuka (handle), top latch, brass tsuba (hand guard) version. The three symbols stamped into the fuchi indicate the sword is a Tokyo First Arsenal product (small inspection mark between the two larger stamping) made under Kokura (four cannonballs) Administration.
The third stamping, the kanji ichi (one) inside a cherry blossom is as yet unidentified according to my references.
Although Kokura Arsenal administered the Type 95 program they did not produce any swords themselves.
Early examples of the aluminum tsuka sword can be found with an 11mm thick brass tsuba the same as the original copper tsuka type. From late 1938 onward they were produced with a 9mm thick tsuba.
If you develop an interest in Japanese military swords I suggest the recently produced reference work by Jim Dawson, Swords of Imperial Japan 1868-1945 Cyclopedia Edition, would be a worthwhile purchase. It can be obtained through Michael Harris at Satcho...
http://www.satcho.com
...see the reference book section.
Although not the best of photos here's what it looks like. At about 450 pages it's quite the work and will provide for many hours of reading and research.
Regards,
StuComment
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