Late war?

[Hammond_Egger]

Hello again, I found another sword in a local Army-Navy store. I have not purchased it.

It looks to be either restored or not completed, or possibly fake (with star stamp?)

It looks to have late war hardware, no peg hole drilled in handle, and wrap is green?

I did see a number stamp on the hilt, it matched under the handle penciled in the wood.

 

Anyway, here is what is inscribed.

 

Thanks in Advance

 

David D

[PNSSHOGUN]

Looks very good to me, Rikugun Jumei Tosho stamped blade with nice Mei (I'll let someone more adept translate it), the mounts are also quite nice quality Type 3 ones with top condition company grade tassel. The Tsuka may have been rewrapped at some point and different menuki added but the job was well done. If the price is decent certainly consider buying it.

[ROKUJURO]

I read MASATOMO

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hiramatsu Masatomo(1926-1989), noted as an RJT smith.

[Nobody]

東神 杉王正友 – Tojin Sugio Masatomo

昭和十九年九月日 – September 1944

 

Ref. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/11344-information-on-gendai-smith-tojin-sugio-masatomo/

[vajo]

Has the blade a choji hamon? Is there any activity seen? Signature looks very nice and the koshirae condition is fine. The ito is new. But it looks not bad made.

[k morita]

杉王　正友　Sugio Masatomo.
His real family name was Tanaka 田中.

At that time,He was a sword smith(RJT smith) who lived in Tokushima-prefecture.

[Hammond_Egger]

Thank you! I think I am going to go back and see what I can get it for. He does not know what to ask (neither do I!) It is missing the locking studs I agree it looks to have been re-wrapped, and the Menuki look to be replacements. I did not get good pictures of the blade, there is some harmon that I could see, I think it could be choji ...could this be traditionally made?

 

I most likely could have walked out of there with it for $200 as is, but since I removed the handle and took pictures, I think he knows it is worth more now

 

I would like to be honest with him though, he is a small shop and a nice man.

 

Thanks to this site, I am learning (but feel that I will never learn enough to know what I am looking at )

[Hammond_Egger]

Ok, I was able to purchase it! Here are a few more pics. All mountings are iron, wood scabbard. Wondering if the wrap has been redone, missing the lock. 93 stamped on top of blade, also in pencil in the inside of handle.

 

Thanks,

Dave

[Ganko]

Good gendaito by a RJT swordsmith, definitely rewrapped and menuki replaced, kojiri is missing. Nice sword.

 

  TomC

[Peter Bleed]

Obviously not a standard gunto wrap, but by later '44 lots of standards were being broken. Are we sure that this wrap post-dates the War? Could it have been presented this way in te winter of 1944?

Peter

[Hammond_Egger]

Obviously not a standard gunto wrap, but by later '44 lots of standards were being broken. Are we sure that this wrap post-dates the War? Could it have been presented this way in te winter of 1944?

Peter

Kind of what I was thinking, but I have not found any others like it either.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Definitely a rewrap but well done, could leave it as is or eventually get some original menuki and have it redone with more standard army dark brown Ito. Either way you've done really quite well.

[Ganko]

There is an additional clue that it is most likely post war(other than the ito color and odd menuki). It has been wrapped as if it were a katana mounting(worn edge up) rather than tachi style which is edge down. The ito wrap was started on the wrong side. Type 3 and type 98 mountings are meant to be carried edge down and are wrapped accordingly. Even if it was a wartime replacement I doubt if the person wrapping it would not be aware of the difference. The Japanese being the sticklers for detail in such matters that they are.The saya which is brn/blk ishimei is also typically from 1942 or 1943 from my observations. Most 1944 swords have a flat ito wrap(not twisted or pinched at the crossover).

 

 My additional two cents,

  TomC 

[george trotter]

Good gendaito by a RJT swordsmith, definitely rewrapped and menuki replaced, kojiri is missing. Nice sword.

 

  TomC

Not so sure kojiri is missing Tom. This type of Rinji Seishiki mounts come from the Osaka area and several I have seen end in the plain rounded scabbard end without kojiri. Probably intended to be in a canvas or leather cover.

Here is mine...

[Hammond_Egger]

Very nice George! I agree, I do not see any evidence to anything being mounted there.

I am going to try and find correct menuki as well as the locking piece. I believe it should be wrapped like yours.

If anyone has advice as to where I can find the missing bits, as well as where to get correct material for rewrapping, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Thanks Again,

Dave

[Rich S]

Personally, I'd leave it as is. It was well re-wrapped for a reason. I don't mess with the history of a sword. You might find later that it was a gift to someone or soldier, etc.

Rich

[vajo]

Many flaws for a star stamped gendaito.