Conway S

I came across a stamp that resembles 壽 "su" on the ricasso of a Type 32. It's larger than most inspector's stamps occasionally encountered on Type 32 blades and reminiscent of those found on Type 25s. I am curious if this is just an inspector's mark or if it may indicate Suya Shoten made Type 32s. I have not read anything about Suya's involvement with Type 32s. Thanks! @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN @Bruce Pennington Conway

Just be mindful the blade looks like it has some staining or scuffing. The price isn’t too bad. Might not be there if you wait for more pictures in this picture. Conway

Yes, your's is a field grade sword. Mine also has a double Suya stamp. I am unsure what it denotes because I have seen this on swords from other shops as well. The stamps below are on a field grade sword. Conway

I am glad you were able to get it, Sam! The field grade and general officer back straps are identical. The only difference is the grip material. I think Dawson just simplified the back strap in his diagram. It's possible your sword never had any markings on the ricasso or they may have rubbed off. Sometimes they were very faintly applied. For example, the marking on the E & F Hörster below is lightly engraved and almost gone compared to this Clemen & Jung. Conway

Joey, Kanemoto is correct. Looks to be Showa period as opposed to an earlier sword based on the nakago. More pictures of the blade would need to be posted to determine the quality and condition of the blade itself. The Type 98 fittings look to be higher quality based on the extended drag on the saya - scabbard. But it's in poor condition and missing most of the paint. The habaki is also silver or silver plated, which is normally a feature of nicer blades. @mecox Conway

Plenty of members on the forum have posted NCO swords in the for sale section on NMB. There are no restrictions on selling swords that are of Japanese origin. Posting here you will avoid eBay fees and sales tax. To prove that you actually own the sword, some members post a picture of the sword with their NMB forum name on a piece of paper next to it. Conway

@xkingz1998 Hi Taylor! It does not look like anyone answered your original question! If you live in FL, there is a Japanese Sword show in Orlando from 20-22 June 2025. This is well-known show in the US and there are usually a few individuals set up who are trained in tsukamaki. In my experience, you should be able to get the handle re-wrapped for between $250-$350. https://orlandoswordshow.com/ Conway

@John C Could be 挹, which seems to be a verb - "to ladle out." Haven't found any given names that use this character.

John, Here are two helpful sites for identifying seal script: List of Shuowen Jiezi radicals Japanese Seals The second site will generate the seal script if you input a character. Conway

Here's another "1" on the mune of a Taguchi Masatsugu along with the double "ho" stamps. Date is April (uzuki) 1943. No star stamp.

Gifu stamp appears on swords from 1930s, but 1931 is too early. Conway

The title was a reference to this Yahoo JP seller who previously listed a sword they claimed belonged to Hideki Tojo. It was not intended as a racial slur. Understandable that poor phrasing could cause confusion. But then again, who would come to this forum to disrespect Japanese? Conway

David, Maybe it's obvious to you, but the scabbard is for a Type 3, whereas the rest of the mounts are Type 98.

Maurice, I was thinking Watanabe Masanobu - 渡辺正延. Take a look on the forum and you will see signatures for this smith vary greatly. Maybe I am way off though.... Conway

The bottom mark is an anchor within sakura. More examples posted on page 47 of this thread. Conway

David, Here is the link to Sesko’s Swordsmiths of Japan. E Swordsmiths of Japan Conway

Edward, Nice find. You correct in assuming this one has been depot refurbished during its service. The "0" is a clear indication. As you may have already read, the date is usually stamped on the guard where the current markings are found. In addition to the 小, the other markings are seal script inspection marks, which may correlate to an individual inspector. The undated guards are typically earlier production. The scabbard throat piece on this example is also less common. Here is a great link with lots of solid info on Type 32s and other military swords: http://ohmura-study.net/962.html Conway

Does anyone know what the "1" signifies? Is it an inspector's mark?

Steve, This sword was discussed on the forum in December. I wouldn't trust that it's a "gendaito" just because the seller states that. Many of these RJT smiths also made non-traditionally made swords as well.

Looks like the nakago has not been shortened based on the photos. Other Kanenao examples like this in souvenir koshirae on Pg. 95 and Pg. 96 of "Japanese NAVAL SWORDS WW2 Swordsmiths & Workshops" by Mal Cox. Conway

The green tsuka ito appears from time to time. I’ve seen quite a few on Iijima swords. I guess a question it raises for me is whether the tsuka for Type 95s were made in-house by the subcontractors or provided from an external supplier. Conway

David, It looks to be signed Takai 高井Sadatsugu 貞継. Conway

Fredrik, The smith is 兼則 Kanenori. There is an article in the NMB downloads section with more information on him. The date is May 1943. Conway

Sam, Personally, I’d say $300 -$500 depending on the condition and whether it’s a field grade or company grade sword. There’s so many plain company grade swords of poor workmanship out there so it’s nice to have a more unique example. But that’s just my opinion as someone who’s a bit addicted to parade swords. Someone else who just wants one to complete their collection might not pay that much, but they also might not recognize the interesting historical context. Conway