Identification Help

[Mrl1983]

Hello everyone. 

 

My sister flips houses here in Nashville, and my construction company does the remodels. Last week we started the remodel of an old home built in the 1930's. We are ripping out all the old walls, ceilings, and floors and completely redoing the interior. I was tearing down a ceiling with a pry bar in what use to be a dinning room when a confederate American $20 bill fell to the floor. I decided to look in the ceiling to see if there was anything else and to my surprise there were two Japanese style swords sitting in the rafters! 

 

I have no knowledge on this subject so i was hoping for your help in identifying the swords. I'm confidant that the larger is a military sword but the smaller one i have no idea. I can add more pictures if needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Thank You.

Matt 

[Jon MB]

Looks like a score...but no one here is going to like the look of that liquid that appears on the tang in pic 2....don't 'clean' or scrub anything, but gently but wipe off any liquids..no doubt you have already..

 

Scabbard looks like a mis-match on the larger piece..

[Mrl1983]

thanks. Good to know, i wont clean them. The "liquid" is actually solid on the tang. I'm not sure what it is.

[J Reid]

Larger sword is a type 98 shin gunto with a mismatched saya from a dress sword. Unsigned. Kind of looks like one of the earlier traditionally made gunto blades made for kyu-gunto. Very basic working blade. But more likely a showato. The other sword is a shobu-Zukuri wakizashi with good looking koshirae and most likely Early-mid Edo. Signed kanetsune. Nice finds !!

[DGARBUTT]

I don't believe the scabbard is a mismatch and certainly not from a parade sword. .  More likely the sword was originally in kyu gunto mounts from the 1800's and had a new handle put on it when it was used in WWII.  I have seen a number of swords  with this combination. No way to tell from the pictures if the longer blade is handmade without photos of the work in the blade/

[PNSSHOGUN]

Very nice score, they look like quality pieces and still in fantastic condition. If you could please get us pictures of both the blades we can start to determine exactly what you have. Pictures of the tip, any patterns in the steel, overall length of the blade and both sides of the tangs would help immensely.

 

You can very carefully wipe the blade only down with some light gun oil and tissues to remove any old dust and grime from them.

[Grey Doffin]

Care & etiquette.  Please read this twice; it is important.

http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm

Grey

[Mrl1983]

Thank you for all the help so far. Here are some more pictures of the blades

 

The Gunto has a 25.5in (65cm) blade and a total length of 33in (84cm)

The Wakizashi has a 16.5in (42cm) blade and a total lenght of 21in (53cm)

 

[Surfson]

The wakizashi appears to be signed Kanda Ju Kanetsune.  That means it was made by Kanetsune, who was living in Kanda, a region of Tokyo.  If it is correct, he worked around 1684 and is a listed smith.  Not a famous guy, but known.  Since you are not a collector, you are probably interested in value.  Off the top of my head I would say that the pair are worth roughly $1500-2500 or so.  Not only is it a nice find, but you have preserved these two interesting swords.  You have succeeded in taking them apart and cleaning them without damaging them, and you are in the right place if you want advice about handling them (if you decide you want to be a collector) or selling them.  Congratulations!

[Mrl1983]

Wow, i would have never guessed it to be that old. Very cool. Thanks so much for all the help