IJASWORDS

Hi Bruno, I have a couple of spare tsuba. If you can find another F&K set, I will swap you. And we can both have a complete set.

Like in Dave's article, a Koto blade in a saya with the kurikata left on and the suspension ring fixed on by tacks. And in leather cover. I will try and dig out a sword in a leather cover, that has a label stuck on the wood saya that has the owners details written on it !! Not discovered until I gently peeled back the combat cover. It looks like an official printed label with the details filled in. Guess the owner wanted to get it back after the war. Only ever saw one .

Bruce , thought I would pull another civilian out to photograph a bolted on ashi. This is on a 17th century blade, with old saya. Saya has provision for the Ko-gatana and Kogai accessories. It had a leather combat cover. My take on this was a family sword, taken to war, and when the Japanese won, the sword would be taken home, the ashi removed, with no damage to the saya due to the leather gasket under the steel band.

Photos of menuki, no idea what it is. The ashi is a steel band wrapped around the wood saya with a leather protector between the steel and painted wood saya. The ring holder is secured with a bolt and nut. I have other civilian koshirae with the same "add on " ashi. So my guess is an army adaptation of an otherwise civilian sword .

Austus, no tricks or tease, legit question. Wood saya under the leather, and photo of keisho polished blade.

Pictured is a 1943 Hiromitsu that has a leather combat cover and suspension ring. The fittings are Showa period (not that common). Would this have been a sword from a public servant of the time, or a sword from a military administrative personnel who through rank or position was entitled or required to carry a sword?

David, an army and navy together for comparison.

Hamish, every one was taking photos, and I didn't see a sign. I did however attract the ire of a security guard when I photographed the shrine itself.

OK, I am deviating and going off topic, but as an owner of Yasukuni-to, I went to the shrine and museum. The exhibits of Japanese historical war memorabilia are fantastic!

There were so many amazing things, but here is one sword I would love. Photographed at the Yasukuni Shrine museum.

So, this is just a theory.... At the DTI and various Tokyo sword shops I visited, the starting price on old swords was around US$10K, give or take. So in Japan, a reasonably polished Koa Isshin in Gunto Koshirae at US$6K to a dealer is probably reasonable, considering rent and overheads. It is probably a good entry level sword at this price, considering it's reputation for quality at the time. And even some being papered these days . And yes, they may be a lot rarer in Japan than in the West as well. The DTI in Japan had plenty of WW2 gunto stuff, koshirae, and Gendaito. One of which I picked up. So there doesn't seem to be any hesitation in selling military stuff. Just a theory...

Bruce , unfortunately I didn't get the number at the DTI. Thought it a bit rude to take it apart if I wasn't buying .

Malcolm, must be your lucky day, here's another one!

Bruce, For some reason Kai's seem to been jazzed up more than others.

That IS high class.

Should have added that the stamps are visible on the outside of the seppa.

Hey Bruce, got this Kai Gunto with three stamps on the seppa, any ideas, especially on the T.E.C. stamp.

Hey Bruce, just thought I would reach out and thank you for the work you are doing on military swords. The gathering of information on stamps and Mantetsu swords will endure as great reference material well into the future. You have attacked these (and other topics) with detective like investigative skills, and what's more, documented them as great reference material. Thanks my friend, your service to the Military Swords forum is appreciated.

I am stretching the memory cells here, but I think I bought from this seller some time ago, and the sword was shipped from USA. Sword was good.

Bruce, is this a slogan, dedication, or commemoration?

A Kato Jumyo Saku. Saying, Shindei mo mata koku'on. "Even if in the deepest swamp you are obliged to your country". From a poem by Rai San'yo I believe. Can any of our Japanese speakers confirm this please.

Yep, Japanese late war type 4 ceramic hand grenade, de-activated of course!

Any guesses what this is?

Sword photo that goes with uniform. Nov 1943 (Miwa) Masayuki.

Have a 2nd lieutenant uniform, and his sword.