Alban L

Hi Bruce, Following what I had the opportunity to see, « <N> stamp company » produced the major part of higher quality swords I have seen (if we don’t consider traditional blades of course !). These swords don’t wear arsenal stamps, they were probably private orders. It seems this company also produced some standard swords with european blades delivered to Toyokawa arsenal, but I have only seen one. I haven’t seen enough from Nakano to have any idea of their average production quality. It seems Suya company only produced swords with european style blades, and delivered most of Toyokawa stamped swords,. Nearly all of Suya swords I could see are standard production like this one. But I have also seen Suya stamp on a higher quality sword for flag officer (still european blade). I assume that Suya was the main supplier for Navy (seems logic as it was already working in the 1870s) but there were also official orders for standard swords to other shops. Each of these shops may have given opportunity of private orders for higher quality swords. Same principe as it was in France at that time, and I guess in every country : you could be delivered a standard sword by arsenal, or buy an upgraded one directly to the producer. And here is Nakano stamp with Toyokawa stamp, please feel free to use this photo if you want !

Hi all, Clearly not the most valuable one, but here is a tsuba I particularly like as naval items collector, representing a kendo practicer using a Japanese anchor as a sword, with waves and reef patterns. This tsuba is unsigned, can't say if it is an old or modern production, anyway may not be earlier than 1870s when Kendo was standardized with this kind of equipment. Size 7mm / 6,3mm Alban

Good morning everyone, New member from France, collecting worlwide naval swords. I have three 1883 pattern swords I just presented on this website, and willing to learn more about Japanese imperial navy swords. And maybe buy someday a Kai Gunto, still missing in my collection ! Alban

Greetings from France, My very first contribution to this website, here are three 1883 navy swords with different levels of finishes. Up to down : - Unidentified maker (<N> stamp already seen on this website). As I already saw, this maker often made higher quality swords, even if machine-made blades. This one has a wooden scabbard covered by rayskin, bronze hilt, Japanese style blade with sepa and habaki. - Intermediate sword by Nakano workshop in Tokyo (Ǝ stamp), and also Toyokawa arsenal stamp. Lacquered leather scabbard, still machine-made Japanese style blade, but without habaki. - Cheaper sword by Suya company in Tokyo, also stamped by Toyokawa arsenal. Simple leather scabbard and european style blade. Sword knot is probably a recent one but didn’t remove it yet. Have a good day Alban