Army or Police saber ?

[dwmc]

This is either a Army parade or Police saber. I've always read police swords were the ones with a five pedal sakura blossom, where as the army was a blossom of ten the pedal type.

If I'm not mistaken, Fuller and Gregory ( Military Swords of Japan) , are showing the one in the photo's below as army. Would anyone happen to know exactly which the sword  is ?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Dave M.

[Bruce Pennington]

Dave,

I couldn't find your F&G page, but here's the Dawson pages showing your exact sword as a Police Lt's sword.  The 16 ray emblem is Lt & Superintendent of police, and you are correct about the 5 petal sakura being police.

 

Edit: Ah!  I found the page in Fuller's 1987 ed.  His 1996 edition is more up-to-date, as is Dawson's book published in 2007.  I keep the '87 F&G because it still has a few items not found in the other two books, but you'll find more out-dated info in it.

[dwmc]

Excellent...Thanks Bruce !

 

Dave M.

[lonely panet]

like iv mentioned in the past, the F&G'S  early books have had mis-identified  swords.  i have abit of ground on this subject as i have owned swords published in 2 books. and a close friend has been a contributor to all F&G books and Dawsons books and he is in agreement with my opinion.   

 

this is a police sword Bruce 

 

but this is just my opinion , i could be talking out my ass

 

 

[dwmc]

I've always found you to be very accurate Hamfish. Yes , I have the older version of F&G.

 

Dave M.

 

Why is it I never seem to notice my miss spelling until after I press send and edit has expired...(petal-pedal.)