Naval Sword Period opinion

[sturmann]

Hallo,

I would like confirmation of the period of this naval Kai-gunto .
The tang does not have a mei but a nice habaki.
The saya is painted metal one.

Important part , to me it looks like a good WW2 , pre 1945 made one . Do you agree ?








Many thanks for your opinion Gents,

[gunto]

Never seen a kaigunto with metal saya.
Ito looks somehow rebound?
Maybe post war put together.

[GHP]

Yes, a pre-1945 Naval sword. Saya with a single suspension mount 足 (ashi)

@gunto: most likely lacquer over wood, not metal (cf: other example and another). Naval swords are more often found with two suspension mounts on a 鮫 (same) covered lacquered sheath.





--Guy

[GHP]

Sturmann -- it looks like the suspension mount has migrated closer to the mouth (koiguchi). In your photo, it appears that there is a worn area a few inches below where the mount originally was positioned. Do you see evidence of that placement?

--Guy

[GHP]

@ gunto: I don't have my Gregory & Fuller books with me -- do they state whether or not the kaigunto single-ashi mount is late war or early war?

Thanks,
--Guy

[Stu W]

Well, as the thread starter says the saya is painted metal I think we have to go with that for the moment and that leads me to think member gunto is correct in this case. That sword would not be one for my collection.

As an aside, for those interested in military swords I recommend Jim Dawson's revised (2007) Swords of Imperial Japan 1868-1945 Cyclopedia Edition. To my mind it's the most accurate reference now available for these swords.

Regards,
Stu
After some reflection I can't help but wonder if the sword may have been placed in that metal saya for use in a land based combat situation and therefore authentic to the time. Perhaps NLF Officer?

[GHP]

Well, as the thread starter says the saya is painted metal I think we have to go with that for the moment ...

D'OH!

[Stu W]

D'OH!

Good One.

...and if you don't mind I'm going to copy that photo into my hard drive for use the next time I find myself in the same position. We've all been there.

Regards,
Stu

[GHP]

Go ahead, Stu. The image has been very useful to me .... not that I need to use it ... much. (^__^)

--Guy

[sturmann]

Re-

Many thanks all for your appraisal and constructive comments
The seller did indeed described the saya as a metal one.

This picture is poor but all fittings seems to all be good naval ones.


Here is an other picture of the wrapping and menuki
I am not too worry about the position of the suspension ring as sometime they become loose and move on the scabbard.




I bought that sword mainly on the strenght of the habaki and the un-signed blade. I read in the Fuller book that some WW2 swords were put together at the end of the war to swap with rear echelon troops and assumed it was one of them ?

The possibility that the sword could have been used by land-based naval troops is interesting.

My concern is that the sword is made of war-time mounting ?
If we can agree on that ?
thanks

[gunto]

Something isnt right with the scabbard.
The ashi is mounted too high.
The shibabiki is mounted too high.

[sturmann]

Re-

Agree , the ashi and the shibabiki are definitly too high on the picture but that it is only because they have become loose.

The question is if the sword components are WW2 period and indeed if the blade is WW2 or pre WW2 period ?