Need Help Authenticating/getting Info On Katana

[Tdognc]

Hi, I'm very new to the forum so please forgive me if I mess up. I'm helping out my local military museum catalog and identify their bladed weapons. This katana was donated to them by a family of a WWII veteran who supposedly brought it home. I believe it is a post-war bring back due to the lack of military fittings. If anyone can tell me more about the katana that would be much appreciated. It's in rough shape and is missing the tsuba and kashira. I noticed it has an emperor node as well. Thank you for your time. Due to a lot of photos taken for the museum's books ill just link an imgur album if that is okay. Imgur link: https://imgur.com/a/tbEQ4H7

[UnoKubi]

Can't access the link from work, but civilian koshirae were known in WWII, either newly produced, or ancestral blades brought intact into combat...

[Brian]

Hmm....well done on lots of pics.
Really hard to say much about this besides it's a Japanese sword. It is in civilian fittings, but if the tsuba had been a military one or maybe with combat cover, it may have been pressed into service. But as seen, it was in civilian mounts, and the saya was wrapped in rattan and probably had a lot more decoration.
Everything seems fairly average...nothing standing out. Even the age is hard to guess, patina not that old..not too young. I am guessing shinshinto..maybe. It wants to looks shortened, but I don't think it was way longer.
Saya has been modified, looks like a cane sword, but the rest of the fittings don't match that.
So maybe a conglomeration of parts. At least it does look traditionally made with a real hamon. Pity about the condition. Hard to say anything definitive about this one. Anyone else see more than I do?

[Grey Doffin]

Hello, name please,

This is an older, Samurai sword; made well before WWII.  I notice that someone has been cleaning the fittings and this is a huge mistake.  DO NOT DO ANY FURTHER RESTORATION/CLEANING/DAMAGE!  Here is a link to a care and etiquette page; please read it twice: http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm

I cannot overemphasize this; anything you do to make the sword better will only make it worse and may kill it.

The sword is in rough condition but it still could be quite valuable.  It needs to be seen in hand by someone with a great deal of knowledge and who is honest; we won't be able to tell you much from your photos.  The white material and rattan cording on the scabbard are not original; they were added to keep the scabbard from falling apart.

If you would like to ask questions you are welcome to give me a call.  I can also make suggestions for proper preservation.  Grey Doffin 218-726-0395 central time (in Minnesota).

[Tdognc]

  On 7/3/2018 at 5:51 PM, Grey Doffin said:

Hello, name please,

This is an older, Samurai sword; made well before WWII.  I notice that someone has been cleaning the fittings and this is a huge mistake.  DO NOT DO ANY FURTHER RESTORATION/CLEANING/DAMAGE!  Here is a link to a care and etiquette page; please read it twice: http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm

I cannot overemphasize this; anything you do to make the sword better will only make it worse and may kill it.

The sword is in rough condition but it still could be quite valuable.  It needs to be seen in hand by someone with a great deal of knowledge and who is honest; we won't be able to tell you much from your photos.  The white material and rattan cording on the scabbard are not original; they were added to keep the scabbard from falling apart.

If you would like to ask questions you are welcome to give me a call.  I can also make suggestions for proper preservation.  Grey Doffin 218-726-0395 central time (in Minnesota).

Thanks, yeah one of the other guys at the museum cleaned some of the fittings and wiped the blade with mineral oil. I'll send him your link. Thank you very much.

[Geraint]

Does he also raise a nice shine on the bronze sculptures?   As he has conscientiously stripped the original patina off the fittings I suggest you take away his polishing materials.

 

All the best.