Japanese Sword

[Michaelauer21]

I recently won a lot of swords in an auction. Below Japanese sword was part of the lot. The tang is signed. I don't know anything about Japanese swords. Can anyone please tell me what I have here. Thanks, Mike

[Michaelauer21]

Japanese Sword - signed tang

picture of signed tang

[oldhonda]

It's a Type 98 Shin-gunto with incorrect scabbard.

What is the throat of the scabbard looked like? That area is modified. What is the left side of the sword looked like? Is there a locking piece?

[gunto]

It's a Type 98 Shin-gunto with incorrect scabbard.

What is the throat of the scabbard looked like? That area is modified. What is the left side of the sword looked like? Is there a locking piece?

I think with that type of fuchi, theres no lock clip.

[oldhonda]

I think with that type of fuchi, theres no lock clip.

Sometimes whoever modified parts would take out the locking button leaving a hole in the fuchi. But you're correct. This is a simplified fuchi.

[Beater]

It’s a “Seki ju Fukuda Sukemitsu” blade. Can’t see a Seki stamp but almost certainly a Showato, non-traditional blade. The bo-hi would be an extra or special order feature on an officer’s sword.

[BruceP]

The fuchi is typical for a blade mounted in a combat saya (wood covered in leather). This blade was likely picked up without the saya, and the G.I. simply grabbed whatever he could find to fit. Or it made it back to the states and Bubba put an NCO saya on it.

Both legit WWII, just don’t belong together.

[oldhonda]

I don't know if the fitting of the Habaki was done by a professional. It's a little canted.

[Michaelauer21]

Japanese Sword

Thank you to everyone for their helpful comments.

So what I have here is a Japanese WWII Type 98 shin-gunto officer's sword.
The scabbard does not belong to the sword and is possibly for an NCO shin-gunto.

Did I understand that correctly? Is it possible to date the sword from the markings on the tang?

As I mentioned in my earlier post it came in a lot and I am not really a collector of Japanese militaria so I will probably sell it. Is there going to be any interest regarding the condition it is in? If there is I might put it on the e-stand.

I attached additional pictures of the sword and the scabbard.

Thanks,

Mike

[BobI]

I think it is a showato that has been "messed with' in many ways to include treating the nakago with acid IMO.
Bob

[BruceP]

Mike,

With Beater's evaluation of the smith, I agree with all, that this is a WWII era blade. A cool one, as I've always liked the fuller-grooved officer blades, they are not that common. The tassel is of a Company grade officer (Lt - Capt). The new pictures do show the broken leather latch strap, confirming my thought that the original saya was a leather covered wooden combat scabbard.

Even the mis-matched saya (scabbard) is collectable, as it is a Nagoya Arsenal side-latch. I've been told by a reputable source that there were only 4,000 of these made, making them more rare than the earliest copper-handled NCO gunto. The serial number on the throat face would have originally matched one on the NCO blade.

[Sengoku]

I agree with BruceP on this one, it's an assembly of parts, and all of them genuine WW2 Japanese parts. Just how much of an assembly can only be judged in hand.