Ian B3HR2UH

This film shows swords being presented by the CO of the 13th Field Coy , Major Carmichael to members of his Company . This occurred at Rabaul on New Britain . The Japanese had dug an extensive tunnel system ( 150 miles according to one report ) at Rabaul and the swords were stored in the tunnels under guard to keep them safe from souvenir hunters. There is a photograph in the Australian War Memorial ( number 98687 ) showing Capt Williams of the 11th Division Headquarters issuing swords to a unit which appears to be at the mouth of one of these tunnels. The photo caption states that there were 7000 swords issued to troops at Rabaul as souvenirs . Years ago I bought a sword off a man who said that they found a back way into the area of the tunnels where the swords were stored . He and his mates drove a jeep into the tunnel, loaded it up with swords pistols and binoculars and drove out again.. Records show that there were 53212 Army troops ( including 3661 officers ) 16218 Naval troops ( including 1222 officers ) and 19861 civilians on Rabaul at the end of the war . If all the above figures are correct then it means that about nearly eight percent of ( or one in every thirteen ) Japanese had a sword with them. There is a list dated 2 Nov 1945 which sets out how the swords were to be allocated . Larger units such as infantry battalions received from 250 to 350 swords depending on their size .Small outfits were allocated smaller amounts commensurate with their size . For example the 11th Div postal unit only received four . The 13th Field company who appear in the film received 96 swords . It was interesting to me that all of them seemed to have tags with the owners name on them and some seemed to have multiple tags . Many years ago I came across a sword which had been bought back by a very senior 11th Division officer . This had a piece of paper with it saying that it was the best sword on Rabaul The blade was signed Kunihiro ( Horikawa ) and it was dated 1606 . It had been carried by a Japanese Captain and was in average quality shin gunto mounts with no mon. Unfortunately it was not for sale so never became part of the Brooks collection. Ian Brooks

It is sad how quickly the provenance of these just disappears . The seller told me that he bought it from the family of a marine who got it on Iwo Jima . Ian

One of my Kai gunto has a mon on both menuki ( photo of one attached ) and an identical one on the Kabuto gane . I haven't seen this on a Kaigunto before. Interestingly there is considerable writing under the fuchi some of which reads Kaigun hira maki ( Navy flat binding ) and Mon menuki nyu ( Mon set in menuki ) I can offer no real explanation for John's original observation but agree that the percentage of kai gunto with mon on is lower than the percentage of Shin gunto with mon on them. Ian Brooks

Laurak these signatures are a bit like yours . If you sign your name twenty times and I try to copy it the chances are that my copy of your signature will stand out amongst the twenty one examples as being the one that is faked . Applying this to Japanese swords you need to find authentic examples of Kunisada's signature in books and compare them to that on your dads sword . Like Tom I doubt that this is a genuine Kunisada . Ie there are plenty of Kunisada's with fake signatures around. Yours is no doubt a genuine old sword that has had a fake signature put on it years ago to increase its value. Just like putting a famous artists name on a painting to increase its value. Ian Brooks

Attached is a photograph of the ura of my Katsura Eiju tsuba. Do any members have other pieces by him ? I have obtained copies of examples of his work from the Wakayama books, Nihonto Koza , Zubo Tansen , Mosle , Oeder ,Lethal elegance and various NBTHK journals ( in particular 512 and 649 ). Are members aware of other books where examples of his work can be found? Ian Brooks

I have always understood that the rules or etiquette of the board were that we didn't comment on pieces that were put up for sale ! Notwithstanding Adam puts in his two bobs worth " its not worth the asking price as its unverified, not Jo saku and the mei is all wrong " This sword is a good classy item and in a whole different league than the fuchi kashira Adam currently has up for sale , but I won't comment on them . Ian Brooks

Hi Juan , Bob Benson's opinion , having had the sword in hand, is I think far more likely to be correct than any opinion that anyone here can give you from looking at photographs . Ian Brooks

Hello Markus, I have volume 239 . Scanning is beyond my abilities but if you can wait a couple of days, and let me know where to send it , I will have one of my staff scan it when we are back at work . It is the Queens birthday public holiday here in Australia tomorrow ! Thanks for all the great work you do Ian Brooks

Lowell , years ago, in pre uchiko days I used Talc on my swords instead of uchiko which wasn't available in this country . I dusted it lightly on then wiped it off with tissues . It did no harm to the blades that I could see other than having a tendency to get into the pores ( for want of a better expression ) because it was so fine . I would try some proper uchiko on the blade and see how that goes . If you have smothered the blade in talc and rubbed and rubbed or mixed it into a paste with the oil and rubbed and rubbed then chances are you have gone too far and nothing can be done short of a repolish Ian Brooks

Hi Mo , without checking my books I would be pretty sure this is not right . Certainly not the Kunihiro . There is a category of swords that I refer to as Showa fakes . These typically have big names inscribed on the nakago and crummy horimono on the blade . This looks to be one of these although you would need to have it in your hand to be reasonably sure about that . Ian Brooks

Wow , so there are at least another 187529 other pieces of crap like this out there somewhere . I agree with Hamish 100% . Don't know why I am even giving this junk any time at all . Ian Brooks

Hi Steve , one of my swords was carried by Naval Captain Endo who was a senior officer in the 22nd Naval base force . This was the main Japanese unit at Balikpapan . In the course of my research on the 22nd base force I came across a reference to a Japanese arsenal at Sangasanga . This is up the coast near Samarinda. It was described as a foundry and engineering works . Among other things that it was manufacturing steel helmets , bayonets swords and hand grenades . I think your piece is of too good a quality to be one of the famous Aussie made jeep spring swords . My guess is that the Japanese themselves made many of the Island made pieces. Ian Brooks

Hi Bruce, after all of the great work you have done pulling together the information on these I am glad you got yourself an example . Well done. Ian Brooks

Hi Peter , I have a a 1966 reprint of the Behrens catalogue Part 3 , sword fittings tsuba metal . I don't think that this is an auction catalogue though but a catalogue of his collection so what you are looking for may be different. Lot 723 is a kodzuka described as Shakudo nanako, two cranes in the clouds in low relief iroye . This piece isn't illustrated. Ian Brooks

Years ago a friend had a Shingunto with one of these sarute on it . This was long before anyone had much interest in military mounts . This piece would have been bought back by a returning serviceman. There is no doubt in my mind that these were a WW2 item. Ian Brooks

I had a think about this one Bob but the Aussie dollar is hopeless now and I just didn't get around to it . Glad you wound up with it . What this does show, I think, is that there are still good interesting things out there for people who are prepared to beat the bushes and use their eye . Of course those who cant recognize quality ( and there seem to be a lot of them ) will be wasting their time doing this . Well done Ian Brooks

I totally agree with Stephen . If you can , also get yourself a copy of the Arts of the Japanese sword by Robinson . These two are essential reading for beginners . They will help you to learn how to read signatures which is an essential skill to have in this hobby. Ian Brooks

Hamish , you are the only one who mentioned General Togo ( I assume you mean General Tojo ) . Everyone else in the discussion seemed to understand that it purported to be Admiral Togo's sword . Please tell us more about your sword Thomas Ian Brooks

This sword seems to have sold for 1 111 000 yen and there were 437 bids so someone must have thought that it was OK .I guess that if anyone seriously thought it was Togo's it would have sold for ten times this amount Ian Brooks

Stuart , congratulations on reading the mei . Too many people wont even try to do this . I think that they are wasting their time in this hobby if they cannot or will not try to read signatures . The signature on your piece is beautifully cut , the tang is well finished and there is almost zero chance that it is not right . Ian Brooks

The Japanese website military swords of Japan has an article on Admiral Togo's sword which was a blade by Yoshifusa in naval Kyu gunto mounts . What he would be doing with a army officers Kyu gunto mystifies me . It was no doubt put together at some time with the intention of deceiving someone . Ian Brooks

Thanks for posting Axel . I too could not believe that the seppa were so poorly fitted ..As Curran says the whole koshirae is probably put together ( as so many of Aoi's seem to be. ) Ian Brooks

Surely that is because the mounts are low quality rubbish ! It must be intended to be a Tokugawa mon even if they didn't get the details right . The tourists would never know the difference anyway. Ian brooks

There is an article on Saigo's swords in programme 126 of the Token Society of Great Britain . It is a translation of an article by Fukunaga Suiken .The Saigo families sword record book apparently lists 63 blades ranging from high to poor quality . Amongst the former are a Rai Kunitoshi , three Muramasa ( although only one is signed ) and an orikaeshi mei Nobukuni . The Nobukuni is described as the Gunto which Saigo Takamori used to wear during the Meiji revolution . I guess this is possibly some sort of kyu gunto mount .It interested me that even an apparently modest samurai family would have that many blades. Ian Brooks

Hi George , I checked my records and find that I have had two swords with mon on them and Showa blades . The first was a Kai gunto . Its handle had large same ,a beautiful flat wrapped ito and a mon on the kabuto gane . I expected something pretty good to be in it but when I pulled ithe blade out it was a showa piece signed Noshu seki ju takayama Yoshinao complete with a showa stamp ! The second piece was a shingunto with the owners name Yoshida on the kabuto gane . It came with a tag giving his details !st Lt Yoshida South East Artillery HQ . The blade by Kanekuni was dated 1941 and was complete with a Seki stamp . It seems to me that they are an unusual combination as if you had enough money to have a mon added you would probably want a better blade in your sword . There was a thread show us your top gunto or something to that effect . Davids example above looks to have some real quality about it and leaves many that were posted there way behind it . Regards Ian Brooks