Japanese sword hanger

[AGFA40]

Hello,

Is this a original Japanese sword hanger?

Thank you

[AGFA40]

side

[Sengoku]

Very interesting, I await comments from those more knowledgeable than I with anticipation. It certainly has features I associate with patented NCO hangers.

[AGFA40]

Thank you,

I never saw one like this.

[oldhonda]

I call it a fake. With 99.99% certainty.

[Jareth]

I agree. A copy

[gunto]

Fantasy item.

[AGFA40]

Thanks guys.

[Staldion]

Most of theese are fakes, I am more used to this patrern, the one on the link is pretending to be a samurai belt hanger. Sometimes it is described as NCO ww2. Avaible from several sellers located in Hanan, China. Modern copy obviously.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Collectable-J...8AAOSwTA9X2Mi8

Do you think it's pure fantasy ? Or a bad copy of something that existed ? I believed it was pure fantasy until I saw a belt hanger from Manchukuo army close to it. Seemed legit. This was the only one I saw but I am unable to trace it back despite all my efforts. In other words, there is no such thing that I am aware of in Japanese Army. Does someone know for Manchukuo army ?


I would love to have Sengoku arguments. What make you think this one could be legit ? IJA NCO sword belt hangers I ever saw were all plain and simple. Not shaped this way.

Last question I would like to answer to all of you is about the sakura button. Almost looks like the ones we find on officier field caps. Does anyone ever seen such button elsewhere ?



Cheers,
Mat.

[Stu W]

... Last question I would like to answer to all of you is about the sakura button. ... Does anyone ever seen such button elsewhere ?
Cheers,
Mat.

...


Hello Mat.,

In answer to your question, Yes. On police gear.

Regards,
Stu
PS: Not saying it is a police article. I don't collect field gear of either Army or Police well enough to know.

[Sengoku]

"I would love to have Sengoku arguments. What make you think this one could be legit ? "...
Arguments, more like opinions.
I am a bit of a geek, and have files taken from the internet of all sorts of stuff related to Gunto.
Generally fakers want to sell their stuff, so they copy the common patterns rather than invent oddities.
Not all swords were carried by Army personnel, police both civil and railway, Gunzoku (civilians in Military employ) forestry officials and apparently even school teachers were known to have carried swords to emphasise their authority. So there was a big market out there at the time. If I was able, I would post one of these oddities... (but have not had much luck to date).

[Staldion]

Thank you for your help Stu. I asked because I have a gunto in cheaper koshirae with such a sakura button on each side of the tsuka. Don't know their real purpose. To secure the ito maki ? To give an illusion of menuki ? To give a little décorum to this utility koshirae ? Will never know for sure.

The sakura design is not the same, the center is more thin on the tsuka button than the one on this hanger.

This is the only one I know of in a sword context. But realized with your answer that such button could be find almost anywhere on Japanese items from the period. And would be pretty easy to fake in today's standards. Si the button can't be used as a clue by itself, to tell anything on originality of such hanger.









Sengoku > Opinions are welcome too, sorry if I picked up the wrong word. It's hapenning to me all the time in english !

I agree with you on this one. Make me think of the crossed flags sword, or the inscribed habaki. I believed it to be pure invention from creatives modern manufacturers from China. Until I discovered legit examples of swords with crossed manchurian flags on the tsuka. And gunto that has been presented as imperial gifts. Both on reference book and online ressources (Dawson and Ohmura).

Unfortunatly I am unable to find back the manchurian leed which is quite frustrating, I should had double checked my sources before speaking, I realize it's only a pointless affirmation at this level. Like it's too far from my main interest I didn't saved it on my records.

So for the OP it would be safer to buy another hanger anyway. Always prefer textbook stuff until an ironclad sourced example may surface. Consider them as fakes until proven otherwise.

Still lots of akwards features on this one but interesting discussion anyway.