Samauri Sword help

[birdie]

Info value etc,,,guy wants to trade it to me foe a knife I have,, I'm clueless.

[BruceP]

Mr. Bird,

I've righted the pictures for reading the kanji, pointy end up. The date it was made was 1943, and it was a "civilian" blade, either donated by a family or bought up by the Army for the war effort. The tsuka (handle) was probably original, and the army fitted it with a leather covered combat saya (scabbard), for an officer to use (though, NCO's were authorized to use them officially late in the war).

You can read about the program of obtaining private blades for the war here: http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/japane...s-gunto-688110

I'm not any good with the smith names, but I'm going to make a stab at this one as:

康光 (Yasumitsu) , real name: 野口 照次郎

Guy will fix that if I'm wrong!

[GHP]

Using posr-war kanji:
広光
Hiromitsu

old kanji as engraved:
廣光
Hiromitsu


—Guy
[on holiday without computer]

[BobI]

Hi Bruce!
I never heard of the military buying blades for military use, I am curious to learn more about this. Also your link did not work,is it still available?
Thank You!
Bob

[birdie]

thanks fellas

thanks for the replies so far..and value estimates?

[BruceP]

Bob,

Try this one: http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/japane...-gunto-688110/

Birdie,

values vary with the buyer, but range from $500-1,200 USD. If you smith wasn't a famous one, considering the handle condition, probably in the lower half of that range.

[BobI]

Thank You Bruce, very interesting!
Bob