Any information on this sword appreciated!

[bwilson]

My dad bought this sword from an older woman (late 60s) who inherited it from her father. Her father was in the military, but she had no idea where he got the sword from or when he obtained it. No maker marks anywhere on it that I could find but I also have no idea what to be looking for. My dad works in resale and is looking to sell the sword eventually, so any information about it and possible value is much appreciated!

 

Hopefully it's okay to post this here, I'm obviously new to the messageboard!

[ROKUJURO]

bwilson,

welcome to the NM board!

Please sign all posts with your first name plus an initial, so we know how to address you.

Your sword tries to look like a Japanese KATANA, but I am afraid that it is probably only a badly made non-Japanese decoration item. If you could take the handle off (Japanese blades are secured with a bamboo peg in the handle) and show the naked tang (without HABAKI = the brass metal sleeve), we might be able to say more.

Value is very low. If you find someone who is willing to pay $ 50.--, take the chance and get rid of it.

 

[bwilson]

Thanks for your reply! Where would this peg be if it has one? I looked all over and didn’t see a way to remove the handle but I also know literally nothing about swords.

 

Unfortunate if it isn’t worth much, I think he paid $100. Oh well, can’t win ‘em all.

 

Britni W.

[ROKUJURO]

Britni,

the bamboo peg should (normally) be visible in the upper part of the handle in the 'diamonds' formed by the textile wrapping (sometimes covered by it). The peg is conical, so you can push it out to the thicker end. That is the traditional way, however if you have a very simple copy or lookalike of a Japanese sword, a glued-in tang is also possible. Should that be the case, if it were my sword, I would not use any force but leave it as is.     

[Brian]

I wouldn't be too quick to write it off as a fake.
Although certainly not a handmade Japanese sword, there are a few things that look like it was made to be carried and used....and things like satsuma rebellion an/or island made wartime blade springs to mind. It will not be anything great in either case, but I would like to see that tang before I write it off. The wrapping isn't typical repro material either.
I think a field made item, maybe occupied territory use. But Jean could easily be correct.
In either case, if it goes back to after the war, I think you would get your $100 back easily as a souvenir of that time.

[Bruce Pennington]

The peg should be within the first 2 or 3 diamonds up from the handguard. Sometimes you have to slightly move the cloth at the folded point, up or down to see it. SOMETIMES, the maker put the same' (in this case canvas, under the wrap) right over the peg, which would mean poking a hole in the canvas to expose it.

See if you can move the wrap up or down a bit to uncover it. Otherwise, you might not be able to get to it.

[Dave R]

 The wrap is nicely done, but it's not right, and neither is the end knot.

[bwilson]

Looks like in this case the canvas is wrapped around under the diamonds also. I tried sliding the very end down to see if I could see the peg but I couldn’t. I hate to start poking holes and ruin the wrap.

 

Thank you all for your information! If I manage to get the handle off without destroying anything, I’ll update with photos of the tang.

 

I will add that the handle wrap seems dirty from use and there are a few nicks in the blade. If it is decorative, I guess someone was still using it.

[SAS]

Could this be an island sword as discussed in our military sword section of the forum?