Taking A Risk - Auction Buy

[tokashikibob]

Gents,  In the interest in doing better by posting a bit here is my humble post.  

 

   I do not have a Russo-War type sword in my substandard collection.  I've bid on one or two in the last ten years but never won.   I haven't run across them in hand at the state military shows so when I see one it piques my interest.

 

    I threw a bid on one recently that looks like a beater with possibilities.   I was surprised I won as I was not monitoring the bid.   Maybe one of you saw it in hand and know I am going to receive a real clunker.

 

 

   I'll share the auction pics with you and we can see what happens when this shows up.   The auction house did not take off the handle, I could spot a family kamon on the handle and it looked like a shinto shaped blade to me.

 

Crossing my fingers,

  Bob

[Bruce Pennington]

I’m thinking that my next acquisition will be one of these.

 

I agree with you, this might be worth a polish.

[PNSSHOGUN]

The mounts are still in fairly good condition which is nice, they are really quite fragile. The quality of these Kyu Gunto are really quite extraordinary, my one still locks up like a bank vault. The tricky things to find are the correct tassels, luckily the Shin Gunto ones were often used so if you have a Company Grade one knocking about it will be a smart package, especially if you get the blade polished.

[Bazza]

Bob,

 

I'll opine that this will turn out well.  On John's tassel comment above I feel I can see a tassel of sorts already hanging there.  From one other similar I've seen it might be a brown, fine silk cord with an "ojime" type slider holding the two cords together. If it is so I reckon that marks this sword as something special...

 

Really looking forward to your report and more photos when you have it in hand.

 

Best regards,

BaZZa.

[PNSSHOGUN]

I've never seen that style of tassel before Bazz, did you have a picture of it by any chance? I've only seen the black cotton German style, 1934 Shin Gunto or the wire cord style (with simpler knot):

[Stephen]

John  i see it more of a lanyard  to recover sword if knocked out of hand. 

 

 

 

Have you received yet Bobby?

[Windy]

John  i see it more of a lanyard  to recover sword if knocked out of hand. 

 

 

Nice..... I’ve got this camp knife

[tokashikibob]

The Kyugunto came in today,  it's been pretty neglected since the war that is for certain but it is all there with matching seppas, silk thin cord and family silver kamon.     The handle was very difficult to get off,   Someone had it off sometime in the past and had the seppas all on one side, there were remnants of the mekugi but the holes in the same were full of old paste to keep the peg in there.

 

  Anyone have any success in bending the handle bow?  Everything is original to the sword but needs to be gently pushed into place.  The habaki has a few dings were some monkey was knocking on it.

 

This is a blade with potential in my opinion as the forging looks flawless in terms of openings.   Of course it needs a polish yesterday, however other than a few nail catchers I cannot see any flaws in the patina or light old rust.   Maybe pinholes if the polisher deems not to take much meat. 

 

   Hada is very tight but hard to say anything due to grime, rust and patina,   Hamon is thin,  maybe gunome or suguha but also needs to be reveled.

 

Yasurime is Kiri on both sides, however one side is not started until part way down the nakago with the old smooth blade showing for about 4 inches or so.   That seems odd to have different starting points when done during the suriage?   Does that mean anything to the pros?

 

Best regards,

  Bob

[brannow]

Nice score!  Shape looks good and it has a high shinogi!

[Geraint]

Dear Bob.

 

This is getting better all the time, fourth picture, the one with the mon, is that the remains of hi I see ?  If so it could answer your question.

 

All the best.

[tokashikibob]

Dear Bob.

 

This is getting better all the time, fourth picture, the one with the mon, is that the remains of hi I see ?  If so it could answer your question.

 

All the best.

Bill,  thanks for the thumbs up!   Took a risk and got lucky,  will be a looker someday.

 

No hi Geraint, just scratches I think from the button latch.   I found it interesting that the kamon was used by Oda Nobunaga during the warring times.

Best regards,  Bob