Kiipu

The location you marked is usually where the "Star" stamp was located. If the sword came via Japan in the postwar years, the "Star" stamp could have been removed, so as to register the sword with the authorities. Wartime stamps were frowned upon, including the "Star" stamp.

@Spartancrest

I think the picture is upside down. The right column of kanji characters could be some sort of number? 一ノ一七七 ノ = katakana NO.

I found two other swords by this swordsmith. @Markus Below is the first one. Not much other than the characters. Interpreting kanji on samurai sword The second one is in naval fittings, same as the one in the OP. It is over at auctree, item b1106655914. I will post the link but it will come up forbidden. It has the same style habaki as the OP. https://aucfree.com/m/items/b1106655914

A three part interview of Paul Martin conducted by Shohei Nagatsuji of Japan-Forward.com. Interview

Maybe your thinking of the following stamp(s). Arsenal Stamps.

實用新案特許 = jitsuyō shin'an tokkyo = Utility Model Patent. 第２１３９１７番 = No. 213917. No. = Number.

新案特許 Shin'an tokkyo Patent on a new device.

Not to be overlooked is a rather obscure comment made by Akira Komiya. 額縁 Gakubuchi Sword tassel - genuine or reproduction?

Hi Junxi and welcome to the forum. If the blade length is as below, then it is an Otsu 乙 version. Overall length with scabbard: 933mm or 36.75 inches. Blade length: 774mm or 30.5 inches. The year of original manufacture was 1912. Of the initial two inspection marks, the one on the left is 平. Which back then would be a character from the inspector's name. At some later date, it was arsenal overhauled by Kokura Arsenal and hence the additional 小 inspection mark. 大一 = 1912. FYI, my first Japanese sword was a Type 32 and I think they were a good design. However, having swung one around a few times, one quickly realizes the shortcomings of a single-handed sword. In my case, the weak link was my wrist. It is surprising the Japanese did not realize this sooner. Officer's abandoned the single-handed sword during World War I, except of course for the cavalry. Take good care of that sword, it is a nice addition to your collection. Time to start looking for a 甲 version to go along with it!

Windows 8.1 Open a photograph in Microsoft Paint. This can be done by right-clicking the image file, scrolling down to “Open with” and clicking on “Paint.” The program will automatically open and should be on the “Home” tab. If not on the “Home” tab, then click on the "Home" tab. In the "Image" section, second from the left, click on “Resize” and a popup window will appear. In the “Resize” section in the top half of the popup window, make sure there is a check-mark in the “Maintain aspect ratio.” For most cellphone and camera photographs, enter the number 25 in either the Horizontal or Vertical row. The number entered will automatically appear in the other row. [For small size photographs, use a larger number. For large size images, use a lower number.] Click on “OK.” The resized picture is now viewable in the work space of MS Paint. In the upper left corner, click on the “File” tab. From the popup window, click on “Save as” and select a file format. [Selecting “JPEG picture” will work best for most forums.] Then select a location to save the file to, give the file a name, and finally click on “Save.”

That could very well be the case. Both brass and steel tsubas show up in this Suya range; however, they always have numbered scabbards. Below is Kobe, serial 47961, for comparison. Arsenal Stamps.

Search Terms Type 95 Military Sword, Kokura Arsenal, Gifu, Gunto. Type 98 with leather scabbard, Seki swordsmith, Mishina. 義明 Yoshiaki. 昭和十六年 1941.

The serial number is 49810 and falls within the range used by Suya. I agree with "John C" that the scabbard is a replacement, either lost or damaged beyond repair. The scabbard inspection marks are as follows. 東 社 (This stamp is either struck at an angle or broken.)

The iron tsuba was made by Kanenobu. 長州萩金信 Chōshū Hagi Kanenobu. Translation courtesy of "mywei". Help translating a Tsuba

Cox, Malcolm E. Showa Period Swordsmiths of Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu, and the Kokura Arsenal. 2024. A4 size, 149 pages, B&W & color illustrations. Besides gendai Fukuoka swordsmiths, this study also covers the arsenal markings used on RJT blades made under the supervision of Kokura Army Arsenal. For this reason, it covers some of the surrounding prefectures under the jurisdiction of Kokura Army Arsenal. This is the first serious English language study of this aspect of wartime blade production.

三品義明 Mishina Yoshiaki. A World War 2 Seki swordsmith. 友次 Tomotsugu. Bruce over at GBF says Tomoyasu 友安; but, I do not see those characters. So lets get SteveM to arbitrate! First post, help with some swords I own Tsuba, outside my ballpark, so let us call Spartancrest.

Found you another picture to look at, second down from the top. Note the type of tassel used. WW2 Japanese Army training yearbook

OK, I can see it clearly now. It is the katakana character ホ followed by 72. ホ七二 = HO-72.

Yes, this only the second time I have seen this stamp combination. Looks like Nagoya Arsenal was using the 特 stamp then. Brandon's stamping is a little clearer than the previous one and thus the third stamp looks like an 一 [1]. 関 特 一 Brandon, thanks for sharing and below is a link to the other sword. Show Us Your High Class Gunto carbon copy: @IJASWORDS

Yes, sometimes the Japanese used a variant form of Roman numerals. Yours is marked as 11. I think Bruce has a section on this in his stamp monograph. Stamps of the Japanese Sword

The red painted characters look to be a subassembly number of some kind. The second character is indistinct; however, it does kinda look like a 二. Could the diagonal dot punches be related to the subassembly number? ホ = HO. ？ = ? [could be a 2]. 二 = 2.

天池正恒作 Amachi Masatsune saku. 作 = made by.

My two-cents. 1. Do not store it in the scabbard as it lacks a scabbard throat and wooden liners. 2. Get a shirasaya made for the blade. A shirasaya is a wooden handle and scabbard made to fit the blade and habaki.

The oldest blade from Ōsaka Forge and the three oldest from Kokura did not have stars; however, all the rest did. Summary below. Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal, dated 1942-1944, serial number range is 47 to 644. 8 blades: 6 stars, 2 unknown. Ōsaka Army Arsenal, all dated 1944, all six from Sadashige 貞重. 6 blades: 1 starless, 4 stars, 1 unknown. Kokura Army Arsenal, dated 1944-1945. 6 blades: 3 starless, 3 stars.