Bruce Pennington

Yes, I failed to mention that it is star stamped.

That's a cool find, Conway! I haven't researched where and when the entire gunto were assembled. Maybe Thomas has a feel for that. I know SMR made fittings, and I'm aware that some shops, like Suya, made fittings and sometime the whole sword. But I don't know what went on at the arsenals.

Like I say, I'm not the guy to figure this out. Have to wait for the experts.

While we wait for the real experts, Sesko says of the two: "OKIMITSU (沖光), 1st gen., Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Shimane – “Okimitsu” (沖光), real name Hara Kakutarō (原角太郎), student of Murakami Masatada (村上正忠), it is said that the part “Oki” in his name Okimitsu, a name that was given to him by his master Masatada, alludes to his place of residence which was in Nishinoshima (西ノ島) in the Oki district (隠岐) of Shimane Prefecture, he worked as rikugun-jumei-tōshō, kihin no retsu (Akihide), Second Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941) (see picture right) OKIMITSU (沖光), 2nd gen., Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Shimane – “Oki no Kuni-jūnin Okimitsu kore o saku” (隠岐国住人沖光作之), “Oki no Kuni-jū Okimitsu saku” (隠岐国 住沖光作), real name Hara Hiroshi (原寛), born September 19th 1928, son of Hara Kakutarō (原角太郎), he succeeded as second generation of that name in 1952 but it is unknown if his father died in that year or just handed him over the forge, maybe the former approach is more likely as Kakutarō was only 24 years old at that time (see picture right)" The mei looks more like the 2nd gen to me.

I'm not really good at this, but what I see is: Fujita Yoshikane Taniguchi Yoshikane This guy is Ikeda Yoshikane Maybe some help from @george trotter and/or @mecox?

@vajo @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN Got a first-time blade of Yoshikane 吉包 on this Warrelics Post, number マ 468. He's not listed in the JSI RJT list. Sesko has him, but doesn't mention his RJT qual. "YOSHIKANE (吉包), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Yamagata – “Ugo Sakata-jū Ikeda Yoshikane saku” (羽後酒田住 池田吉包作), real name Ikeda Kaneyoshi (池田金吉)"

That’s what I’m thinking. It must’ve had a leather cover and at some point someone took a standard tsuba and modified it for the leather retention strap so he could put a leather cover on it.

Marcin, Never seen anything like that. Do any of the other fittings have a number?

You only show one side of the fuchi/tsuka - is it made with a latch, both tsuka and saya? Looks like someone cut a hole in the tsuba for a leather covered saya. The rest of the details of the tsuba show fine detail. The seppa look roughly made.

Yes. Nice suguha hamon, Chansen. Good luck with the sale.

Don't worry, Steve. They started bustin' my chops, too, when I had been doing this for a few years and wasn't learning the names. I use the JSI page on names: Swowa Seki Smiths - Japaneseswordindex.com and Brian's index on the Home page. Using both, I got this one! After a while, you'll start recognizing some of the most commonly used kanji like Kane 兼 and Kuni 国 For those I can't recognize or remember, I scroll though the JSI page until I spot one.

Joris, the fittings look pretty good. Looks like someone obtained WWII fittings (you can find the for sale without a blade) and put them on a Damascus blade. The date is October 1938. Is anyone able to read the smith name?

My first choice would be our own Swords and Edged Weapons For Sale or Trade section of NMB. You'll save all the ebay fees and taxes. I know I've heard a guy or two talking about wanting one of these. If no luck there, then, personally, I'd try ebay.

As to market price, $450 is what I got mine for, however it is rare to see one sold as a souvenir. Almost all sellers market them as Navy kaigunto. But I've always felt they should be priced higher, more like Brian said. Rebecca, I don't see how or where you would get an official appraisal for this. You are currently talking with the only guys that really know what this sword is. Like the other guys said, the market itself is the real appraiser. They are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them.

Marcin, Thomas (Kiipu) recently figured out that this circled anchor was a generic, all purpose Navy inspection/acceptance stamp. Turns out that the Toyokawa Navy Arsenal had nothing to do with swords. The more elaborate circled anchor was the Naval inspector assigned to the Tenshozan factory, so still a Naval stamp, not a shop stamp.

Good catch, John, thanks! I only had 4 others on file, and they are all on Navy stainless blades - 3 mumei (now 4); one signed by Kiyomichi; all in kaigunto fittings. This supports the idea that this blade was surplus, made for the war but not used until afterwards in the souvenir.

@BANGBANGSAN @Kiipu The painted number seems to have a "40" more freshly painted over " 1 1 ? 2". Can you make out the number underneath? I'm thinking the "40" was a number put there, over the wartime number, while assembling the souvenir.

Hi Rebecca! What you have there is a Navy blade made by the Tenshozan sword company in the last days of the war, but mounted in souvenir fittings. Tenshozan contracted with the 8th Army PX (military version of Walmart) to sell over 8,000 of these souvenirs from 1946 to 1950'ish. The painted number - 11402 - tells us the blade was likely made before the war's end, but never used in combat. Many surplus blades were re-fitted for the souvenir contract and sold through the PX in Japan and later in Korea. Value? When honestly sold as souvenirs, they normally run about $450 USD. Navy kaigunto (Navy blades in proper Navy fittings) can go as high as $2,000 plus/minus. You can read about the souvenir operation in this article - The Mysterious NLF Gunto - A Souvenir PS: Could I possibly get a full length photo of the nakago (tang) for my records? I file and track these.

It would be my honor, John.

I once started wondering if these could actually have been made/used for Chinese forces in the war, but quickly realized that wasn't possible. The stamps are clearly fake. If the Chinese forces were making these for their troops, they wouldn't have put Iijima, Gifu, Kokura, etc stamps on them. These are trying to claim they were made in Seki by Japanese firms - which is impossible due to everything about them being wrong. So, long story, short - one of the many fakes in this style.

I agree it looks like Sukemitsu with the "mitsu" almost rubbed out. Checking my files, though, none of the 6 I have used this mei. I guess he could have tried something fancy with this one. Here is a couple examples I have:

Hi Jan, Sorry to say that's a well known fake. I keep a file on these. Would you mind posting a photo of the sword overall? Is it trying to be an NCO Type 95 or something else? I have several on file from this particular faker, and there is a usually a serial number at the bottom of the etching. Among other things, yours has a date (1940) on it, which is almost always the only date they put on these.

Peter, To answer your question about an introductory letter - It's nicely worded, yet I don't think I would respond to such an offer unless I already knew the individual sending it to me. The scammers are so rampant these days, my first reaction would be to assume it's a scam. Now, if you were known to me, then such a letter would be taken and honestly considered.

Hi Adam, Sorry to say, but it is fake, Whoever makes these has really flooded the market with them as we see this one quite often. It's trying to be a Type 95 NCO sword, but everything is wrong about it. Take a look at the real one on Ohmura's site: NCO Gunto - 1935; Military Swords of Imperial Japan Japanese NCO swords did not have dates on them. But these fakes usually have "1940" on the blade. Yours is a little unique as it has "1934" on it - one year before they actually started making the Type 95s! That's just one of many things they get wrong, on these.

Damascus steel was (and is) used by the Chinese. Are the fittings in the style of WWII Japanese military? If not, it may simply be something made in China for the Chinese. Most we see here, though, are trying to imitate WWII Japanese military.