Newbie puzzled by a sword

[raskar_kapac]

Hi all,

first of all, it is a delightful experience to wander through the forum and see hints, doubts, identifications, details and expertise flickering around pictures — like mysteries to be solved.

 

Here is one, — I am in Marseille, France, and the whole team of the local pawn shop is puzzled around a Japanese sword that someone left with them today, insisting it was from WWII.

I promised I would help. A french friend who reads Japanese told me the marking were chinese, a Chinese friend tells me it makes no sense. A Japanese friend insist it still might be Japanese (but he can't understand it). And i, for one, strongly suspect it might be a replica !

 

All I can bring to the debate is that the french word for rayskin is "galuchat", I was more familiar with it in book binding.

 

What do you think ? Genuine or not ?

 

I'll be very happy to bring some light to this mystery — too many people want to know, now.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Shugyosha]

Not. It's a Chinese copy.

 

Have a read of the "Fake Swords" article under the "Research" tab at the top of the page.

[Nickupero]

I'm not so knowledgable with WW2 Era work but at a quick glance I immediately see Chinese replica. That Nakago is painful to look at.

[Brian]

Complete Chinese fantasy piece. Good thing everyone had the sense to ask, and prevent later misery.

[Bruce Pennington]

A first for me - a Chinese fake with rayskin saya cover and hinged dust-cover!!! WOW! I was willing, at first, to give this an "island-sword" label until I saw the writing on the nakago and the oh-so-standard serial number on the habaki (yes, legit examples of the numbered habaki exist, but this pattern is standard Chinese fakery).

 

[Note: this is the standard Chinese craftsmanship on the metal fittings. Whereas Bazza's example of an unusual "knife" is way above this standard).

[16k]

C’est une repro, ami du sud! chinois, et rien d’autre! Deux éléments sont évidents: la soie, mal finie et dépourvue de traits de lime et le s numéros sur le Habaki, typiques des repros chinoises. Et puis, il n’y a pas de ligne de trempe. Désolé, c’est un faux fait pour la déco.

 

Bruce, same on a saya is very frequent on modern repro swords, but I’ll concede it’s the first one I see with both same and ashi.

[raskar_kapac]

Thank you for a swift (and rightfully sharp) answer ! Should this stay here as a warning for what a false sword looks like, or should I delete the post ?

[16k]

I’d say leave it. This isn’t the first we see and the more people see it, the more they’ll be cautious.

[BANGBANGSAN]

Chinese fake