Need Help With A World War Ii Era Sword

Kevin J · January 6, 2016

I was wondering if someone might be able to help me identify and translate a World War II sword that had been handed down to me. The sword was once checked by an expert, but he has since passed away and I do not have any of the information. I believe the sword is a shin gunto. Thank you for your help.

Kevin J · January 6, 2016

Here is the rest of the sword.

Grey Doffin · January 6, 2016

Hi name please,

The signature reads Izumi no Kami Kanesada Saku (made by Lord of Izumi Province, Kanesada). Kanesada was a well respected smith in the 16th century and if your sword was actually by him it would be something. I think this is much later and a forged signature (gimei).

But others might disagree.

Grey

Jean · January 6, 2016

I do agree Grey

Kevin J · January 6, 2016

Thank you both for the response. I vaguely remember when the sword was viewed by an expert in San Francisco, CA that he mention it may have belonged to a general and that it was old, but he never mentioned how old. Do you have any idea how old this might be?

Kevin

Kevin J · January 6, 2016

Also, the scabbard has a flap that closes once the sword is taken out. It has the number 1084 and this on it, do you know what it says?

Shamsy · January 6, 2016

With the amount of these 'rare' fittings suddenly popping up, I'm half afraid China is involved.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18110-iida-kunitaro-gunto-koshirae-help/

We've already discussed the saya fittings in the above thread, no need to repeat here.

I'd listen to Grey and Jean and go with the assumption of a gimei until otherwise proven. But you never know!

SteveM · January 6, 2016

Agree with all of the above.

I think the scabbard with the flap is/was called an Iida scabbard. If original, it could be interesting for collectors. Search for Iida scabbard (or Ida, maybe) on this site and you should get a few more hits. Also more information at the site below

http://ohmura-study.net/734.html

Close-up pictures of the sword, especially the blade area and the tip, might reveal a bit more about whether it is a mass-produced army sword (guntō), or something older.

Kevin J · January 6, 2016

Shamsy, thanks for the reply and the added information. China is always a possibility. All I really know about the sword was that it was located by my grandfather somewhere in the Philippines during World War II. Since then, the sword has been with my family and nothing has ever been changed while it has been with us.

Kevin J · January 6, 2016

Steve M, here is a photo of the blade if it helps. The only other mark on this sword is on the handle and it looks like four small squares in a diamond formation.

Kevin J · January 6, 2016

This was also on the lid scabbard.

SteveM · January 7, 2016

Hello Kevin,

The photo tells me the blade has had a hard life. It has lost the yokote and is in terrible need of a polish. (But you probably already knew this). It's impossible for me to see if it has or had a hamon, but it seems if it had one, that too has disappeared through use.

The translation for the inside of the lid of the scabbard is located in the thread that Shamsy linked to.

The mark on the tsuka is a family crest with the slightly cumbersome name of Maru ni sumitatsu yotsu-me, loosely (and rather obviously) translated as "four squares in a circle". Family crests on the these metal bits of WW2 swords are not uncommon (but may indicate the owner went through some expense to have this part personalized, or perhaps it was personalized on his behalf).

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%9B%AE%E7%B5%90%E7%B4%8B