ribendao

Ah I see. I wish it was his as neils was a lot nicer. Yeah I had a feeling I found a rare one when I saw it listed. Not sure if I’ll keep it or trade it for something else yet. Not even sure what the value is because I think I got it for a pretty good price.

Haha wow what are the odds. I’ll take good care of it for you.

Wow that one looks a lot nicer than mine. I also noticed mine is missing the suspension ring. Like I said, the sword is not in hand yet. Once I get it I might take it Apart and do an update.

Some of the other examples in Dawson's book (like on pg. 156) are also missing the habaki. The type 19 dress swords are also without habaki I think, so it makes sense that this would also not have one, right? My main concern was that someone took a type 19 dress sword blade and put it in a type 98 mountings. But the proportions look small/correct and the ito wrap looks professional enough I suppose.

Just found this online and ordered it. Am I safe to assume its a lightweight gunto like from page 160 from Dawson's book? Or is it possibly some sort of replica? Would love to hear your opinions. Thanks

If Mr. Benson says its late Muromachi period then it probably dates from the mid to late 1500s.

If it's a replica its a darn good one. I did notice it had a brass screw instead of the bamboo menuki stated in Dawson's book.

Yeah I think you might be right Bruce. I did notice this one seemed the closest but the floral pattern was a little different. I guess there are variations on these floral patterns just like there are on those type 19 dress swords. Thanks for the reply.

I saw this Kyu Gunto for sale on an auction. I looked through Dawson's book and couldn't find any thing that really matched. Closest thing I could think of is a custom sword. Also considering the possibility it could be a Suya export. What do you guys think?

You would do better to remove the habaki and post a picture the sugata (whole naked blade). From the looks of it it looks like a cut down shinshinto blade. So probably newer than 1500s. Im def no expert so I could be off.

Yes, after looking at some posts in the translation section they said the stamp on the hand guard is that of KK Suya Shōten 株式會社･壽屋商店 . Some also lined this article: https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/he-untold-story-suya-shoten-711132/ I skimmed the article but it appears this manufacturer designed many of the uniforms and sword for the Japanese military in the late 1800s. Then in the 1910s and 1920s began exporting to neighboring Asian countries. I believe this sword is one of his exports to China during that time.

The badge/mon looking thing on the back of the "lion sword" looks like the flag of the Wuchang Uprising. Afterwards it was used as the flag for the Republic of China.

The first time I mentioned the “made by” idea I was thinking more in the Chinese context of the use of 造. But I suspect it is short for the Japanese word for arsenal (造兵）. Like the other user pointed out in the picture he posted, the tsuka is numbered 943. So I believe it was tsuka number 943 in some Arsenal somewhere. Therefore I believe tsuba marked 造 in OP’s post could also be a mass produced piece allocated for an arsenal. What arsenal though is the real question.

Yes this is the same stamp. Both are the character 造 inside a circle.

I just found out that in a Japanese context the word 造 could be short for 造兵 which in Japanese apparently translates to "Arsenal." I figured this could be relevant.

Its the Chinese character 造。 Basically means to create or make. For example 在中国制造的 means "made in China."

Thanks for everyone's input. So would my most recent picture be evidence of a clear Mizukage?

Thank you Chris. I just looked up mizukage and the below close up picture might just be one. As for the debate over the effectiveness of Edo period fire departments (lol, love this forum), I'm sure they did the best they could. I'm at least grateful they saved this sword for me.

Thanks Chris, been wondering this for a while. I guess the fire department was busy back then.

Ill have to check when I get home but I believe the hamon does not run through to the nagako. I am also guessing ubu. The nagako just feels unaltered to me.

Yeah I think retemper is a good possibility. Why would someone have there sword retempered in the past anyways? I know this is not the ideal collector's piece but I still like it and enjoy looking at it each time I take it out. I didn't spend much on this blade and hopefully I can at least break even if I ever decide to sell it and get a more desirable one. In the meantime I don't mind collecting a mini arsenal of cheap nihonto :) P.S. Name is Jonathan. I believe I bought a Dawson's book from you in the past.

Thanks JP and Brian. Do you think it is suriage or ubu? Kazu -ichi-mono would be disappointing but would explain these flaws. Despite the flaws it still looks beautiful in the right light. Just wish I could get a good idea of the aprox time period it comes from.

Bought this one off an auction before the new year and it finally arrived. It has some pretty major flaws and a dull hamon but I like it none the less. I'm trying to get an idea of the approximate age. I'm guessing it is from sometime around the Genroku period based of the shape of the sugata. However, I could be completely wrong and its a modern fake for all I know (hope not). Can anyone help me with an aprox. date? Also, how serious are these flaws pictured? Would be a shame if it was considered a "dead blade." Thanks in advance.

The blade is up for auction and only in double digit prices right now but that is bound to go up. This blade just caught my eye for some reason but those rust spots are unlike other rust I have seen and really ugly too. Such a shame because the blade looks like it would look amazing in full polish. Thanks for everyone's reply. Ill try to get it cheaply and then maybe keep it as a project sword.

Been looking at this waki on the online auctions for the past few weeks. It has some really intense rust spots on it but I can tell there is a really nice blade underneath. You guys think its worth putting a bid in? Could it be salvaged? I