Ontario_Archaeology

That otanto is amazing

That's really cool, does someone in our community own that? Here is something I bought as a project a while ago

Updated my post with a full sized kai next to my smaller one

Here is mine.. TOYOMASA (豊政), Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Bungo

We have a topic for the long gunto, I thought it would be interesting to see the shortest ones as well.....

And last weeks

Showa has another one I think https://www.ebay.com/itm/362984946437

Doesn't look too bad. Also isn't 1766 (blade) an extremely low production number? An argument can be made that the unmatching scabbard is a replacement during war time.

The tassel was sold with the sword

Here is a close up of the general tassel from the auction I got it from.... I will take more pictures if needed. Another closer shot Thank you

After a few years of collecting I have a few tassels now, and despite all the threads I still have issues spotting real vs fake sometimes. I think the best way forward for me is to post my tassels with what I think is real vs fake and someone who knows better than I check my answers. 1) Fake, paperish stuff, mis coloured? 2) Fake, mis coloured? 3) Fake, just a feeling 4) real 5) real 6) real

Honestly, despite all the information here and in other threads about spotting fake tassels. I am still struggling. Even when I try and compare tassels side by side I struggle to spot the differences. I am pretty sure a lot of the tassels I currently have on my swords are repos. I guess it all comes with experience. On another note.... real? Thank-you all Matt

On this example it doesn't look like the bottom blossom has been replaced. As for a hole on both sides, is there any examples of Gunto with more than 1 type of mon on it? I do recall examples with multiple mons on it, but I can't remember if they were all the same or not. In a previous thread I think I remember seeing them in some unique places. Hopefully this helps. Thanks Matt

Although black and white, here is a general tassel attached to a gunto found in what looks like a magazine? if the image comes out too small, here is the link to that auction i found it in. https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/d430147833/detail

After reviewing the Warrelics thread I don't see any reason why these wouldn't have existed during the war. There is so much variety in Gunto, from colours to mounts I don't see it too out of the question to assume that these sarute would have been available to the paratrooper units, especially if they were an "elite" unit. We know for sure that there is different sarute out there with the existence of the clasped hands version. Just some thoughts, Matt

Another cast? https://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-Japanese-SWORD-PARATROOPERS-SARUTE-VERY-RARE/153870075189?hash=item23d35f0535:g:0DoAAOSw0KZecuv7

Unfortunately this is the only image I have of mine. Since I'm away from my collection i can't take more. Cool topic, Matt

Isn't that a Japanese granade

The sustainability of artefact preservation relies on the enthusiasts. Governments will continue to defund museums big and small. Unfortunately history and the objects from it are often an after thought. In the archeology industry there are concerns about what happens to all the artefacts a commercial archaeologist has stored over their decades of work. One archaeologist may have hundreds of sites, hundreds of thousands of artefacts, stored in their basement in bankers boxes, but what happens to all that when they pass away or retire? For private collections I think it is important that these online communities exist so the collection has an opportunity to pass onto someone who will maintain them and the history attached to them.

I have a small collection of other Japanese ww2 militaria https://gyazo.com/1390d8ba2165877bb036e90b559c9cd8 I also have different artifacts that were found out of context from a few sites I have worked on from mid - late 1800 soda bottles to few arrow heads. I wish I could post a picture of my cabinet of artifacts, but unfortunately I didn't transfer any onto my laptop and I am now away for school.

I think if we had a thread where we could collect period pictures / videos of gunto it would do a lot of good to figure out when or where they were used. If we could narrow down dates of when the photos were taken we might be able to see if attitudes changed overtime. I usually give the photo albums on ebay a good once through, but have never thought of archiving those pictures for this use until today.

Another video with images of tankers standing outside of their tanks some with swords. (around 50 seconds)

The wiki seems confused, the introduction states this "He was a perpetrator of the Nanking massacre in 1937 but was never charged." but further down . . "The order may have actually been issued, allegedly without the Prince's knowledge or assent, by Lieutenant Colonel Isamu Chō. He was a known radical ultra-nationalist staff member of the Central China Area Army who may have released the order under the sign manual of Asaka." anyway, with anything in military collecting, buy the piece not the story.

Interesting point Dave. I wonder what kind of attitude officers would have towards personal carrying swords when they had no business doing so. To me it could be seen as undermining the officers authority since they "earned" the right to carry the sword, maybe the variation between regulation and high quality mounts is a monetary one, I believe officers had to finance their own gunto and maybe less wealthy officers or those chosen to replace the ones lost in combat didn't have the money to kit out a full gunto.

I love the variety and the "extremes" of war time swords. It doesn't make it all that easy to determine where everything was and "used" for. I remember reading about a program the Japanese government had buying swords for the war effort, I wonder if the pressures of war caused more short swords to be used in the military due to this program and the reduced production of the gunto.