Surrender tag, and odd numbering question

[CurtisR]

Hello All,

 

2 gunto I've recently been loaned to oil & possibly translate the meis for have given me a couple of questions.

One (officer's model) has a "surrender tag", written in Japanese Kanji on a slab of wood approx. 2" x 4". Writing is on both sides of the tag. I haven't deciphered the mei as yet but here's my question for this one:

 

Is having the surrender tag an "enhancer" for value generally? Is there a 'normal format' for these tags that those surrendering them used?

 

The second question regards another gunto Officer's sword - as best I can tell - with a silver foiled habaki (again, mei not yet translated). On the seppa and truba for this sword, the number "280" is stamped into each piece, but nowhere on the blade itself. I am guessing this is a armorers marking? Perhaps when a soldier was promoted in rank, a "kit" was issued to dress the old sword to display his new rank?

 

Any info. is appreciated, and thanks in advance!

 

Curtis R.

[Geraint]

Hi Curtis,

 

Some thoughts for you but without picture it is very difficult to tell very much. The surrender tag may be interesting but be aware that collectors sometimes attach a wooden tag to a sword bag simply to say what the sword is. It seems more usual to find a cloth surrender tag. If the tag details the surrender and if there is any way of verifying what it says then it may be interesting but I don't think it will add much to the value of the sword unless you can make some sort of connection like that.

 

Regarding the numbers on the other sword, once again a picture might help us. It is common to find numbers stamped on standard fittings, they are usually regarded as assembly numbers, to help someone get all the right bits on the right sword. It is also relatively common to find an older blade mounted in shingunto koshirae, in which case shingunto fittings would be added to the blade though the saya is sometimes retained and fitted with a combat cover. Unless you are referring to an NCO style blade in shingunto mounts then promotion does not enter the picture.

 

Hope this helps but I am looking forward to the pictures.

[Brian]

The number keeps all of the fittings together when they were fitting the sword.

Surrender tags do add some value, but mainly to the militaria collectors, not so much the Nihonto guys.

 

Brian

[CurtisR]

Thank you gentlemen - that helps a lot. The blade is older and as Geraint mentioned, I've seen several older blades come out of shin-gunto mountings but haven't run into this before. It may be something different than a surrender tag, as it's definitely wood and not of cloth.

 

Ah well. Thanks again - always such knowledgeable folks here and I learn a lot even from small questions and/or those of others!

 

Have an excellent weekend ~

 

Curtis R.

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