Parade Sword for Military Drill

[Kiipu]

Over the last few weeks, I have run into a couple of catalogs and advertisements that mention 指揮刀 or 教練用指揮刀 [parade swords].  These swords were intended for military training in schools.  Starting in around 1925, military training became a part of life for students entering middle schools 中学校 and higher.  If they did not pursue higher education and most did not, they got caught up in youth schools 青年学校 after working hours.  I wonder how many of these swords still exist in collections and also just how much confusion they have caused over the years.

教練用指揮刀 = Kyōren-yō shikitō = Parade (or command) sword for military drill.

 

The 1937 price for a parade sword was 5.5 Yen.

指揮刀　一振　五圓五拾銭　=　Parade Sword　1 Sword　5 Yen 50 Sen.

圓 = 円.

100 銭 Sen = 1 円 Yen.

[Bruce Pennington]

Interesting item! I wish we had a view of the backstrap. It is the most defining characteristic used to determine it's purpose.

 

Dawson has one that resembles it, and called it a "Type 19 for Warrant Officers" (attchd) that has a similar drag, not exact, but similar.

 

I'm sure if they're out there, they have caused confusion, like you say!

[Kiipu]

I do not think there is any one pattern for these swords.  Each company selling them would have their own pattern.  Since they were intended for school use, I imagine they were simple and probably lacking in decorations.  I am guessing the blades would be dull and in some cases could be made of aluminium or some other material.  The price would also need to be kept low with the exception of certain elite schools which could afford better quality parade swords.  I do think collectors in the future will need to take this into consideration before making a decision as to what some of the unknown swords are.

 

Below is another example of a parade sword 教練用指揮刀 coming from the Kanayama 金山 catalog.

https://smallarmsreview.com/archive/detail.arc.entry.cfm?arcid=8284

[Kiipu]

This is what I think some of them could look like.

https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?168681-Is-this-a-Japanese-sword

[Kiipu]

I ran across a 1930 advertisement for a school use parade sword.  This one looks like it has two scabbard hangers while the first one posted has one hanger.

[Bruce Pennington]

Very cool, keep it coming!

 

The Type 8 & 19, which these are styled after, varied greatly, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the same with the training models.

[Kiipu]

While browsing around on the Internet, I ran across this April 1937 dated Chiba Shōkai 千葉商會 catalog and thought others might enjoy looking at the sword section.  It mentions several swords for school use in the upper left corner.

[Kiipu]

And a link to a typical school used parade/dress/command sword.

法政大學豫科 = Hōsei Daigaku Yoka = Hōsei University Preparatory Department or Preparatory Department of Hōsei University.

WW2 Japanese Army Sword -DESIRABLE Inscription

[BANGBANGSAN]

法政大學 （University of Law and Politics) is a private university in Tokyo。