General Yamashita the Gunto collector

[PNSSHOGUN]

He must've been tired lugging all of these swords around......

 

1: "Field sword" this sold for $95,000usd - https://issuu.com/dreamedia/docs/145-issuu/2
 

 

2: "Presentation sword" fantastic special order sword by Imai Sadashige - https://pamplincollection.org/2020/12/14/general-tomoyuki-yamashita/
 

  
 

 

3: Sword in the MacArthur "attributed" to Yamashita

 

4: "Swords surrendered by Japanese Officers, the closest two belonging to General Yamashita, August 1945." - apparently he was an Admiral as well

 

5: His actual sword, now at Westpoint academy:

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

I love the marketing lingo in the auction description, like "ancient samurai blade from the 19th century"! Ha! So, made in the 1800s?  Not what I'd call "ancient."  And the "very rare double layered" saya tip cover ....... except ALL leather covers had the saya tip layer too.  Nothing of which takes away from the actual gunto, just lamenting the display of hype by the auction house.

 

As an aside, interesting to see a rank tassel, on what appears to be a cane sword!  That sword of "Admiral Yamashita" has the black leather saya cover.  Nice.

[Dave R]

 It's a bit like shoes, you need 2 pairs for work, and 2 casual pairs, and at least one pair for formal occasions. So you need a parade sword, a fighting sword and a sword for presentations and if possible a spare or two for the unexpected! 

[drb 1643]

I was just visiting the UDT/SEAL museum in Fort Pierce FL. Here is another one of his swords! Sorry for the poor pictures. They were taken with my phone camera in poor lighting and behind a glass case.

Tom

[Dave R]

 A little addendum here that may be relevant. Many years ago I met one of the guys who had guarded Himmler just after his arrest, and wanting a souvenir he raided Himmler's suitcase and took the Wehrmacht penknife from it, and in order to avoid his theft being discovered then replacing it with another that he had picked up on his way through Germany, . Later he found out that every squaddie in the detail had done just the same. Someone had Himmler's penknife....... but no one knew who!

[Bruce Pennington]

4 hours ago, drb 1643 said:

I was just visiting the UDT/SEAL museum in Fort Pierce FL. Here is another one of his swords! Sorry for the poor pictures. They were taken with my phone camera in poor lighting and behind a glass case.

Tom

So he was an admiral after all!

 

On another note, this gunto with worn off lacquer of the same’ might explain some of the “white“ handled Swords we see in pictures of Navy officers. I can’t believe I had not thought of it, but I own a navy one where the lacquer is worn off like this as well.

[BANGBANGSAN]

9 hours ago, drb 1643 said:

I was just visiting the UDT/SEAL museum in Fort Pierce FL. Here is another one of his swords! Sorry for the poor pictures. They were taken with my phone camera in poor lighting and behind a glass case.

Tom

 

 

The tag say's 铃木大尉 Suzuki Captain

[PNSSHOGUN]

Photo of Yamashita circa 1930's holding a different sword, this one has a Mon on the Kabutogane and looks to be a early Type 94 with the separate Sarute barrel.

 

[robinalexander]

Fascinating subject John....what rank do you think he was in the 1930's ?

Rob

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Rob, he was promoted to Major General in 1934: https://generals.dk/general/Yamashita/Tomoyoki/Japan.html

 

1925-08-07	Lieutenant-Colonel
1929-08-01	Colonel
1934-08-01	Major-General
1943-02-10	General

[robinalexander]

thanks John.  I just came across this rather impressive picture of Yamashita so will post for interest.

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Looking closer at the photos the one I posted he is a Lieutenant General (2 stars on collar) and it is noted he was promoted to the rank in 1937. Your photo indicates he was a full General (3 stars on collar) so circa 1943-45.

[robinalexander]

Yep I reckon yr spot on ... there was a big (no pun intended) difference in his weight between your c1930's pic and probably any of the later war pics.

 

You would think the stress of loosing his grip on the Phillipines would have kept his weight down in the final years. Or maybe he took comfort in eating his worries away.

 

Just an observation that is more noticeable with Yamashita than most others of similar rank.

R

[lonely panet]

this topic is like whom has Goerrings missing GrandCross.  ??

[Dave R]

22 hours ago, lonely panet said:

this topic is like whom has Goerrings missing GrandCross.  ??

 

 At least five different collectors, non of whom talk to each other......

[lonely panet]

On 8/15/2022 at 6:33 AM, Dave R said:

 

 At least five different collectors, non of whom talk to each other......

your missing the point,  

 

every one claims to have HIS sword but there is 0 provenance attached to there claims 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Yamashita holding yet another sword, the collar tabs indicate he is a Lt. General. The Tsuba looks to be from a Type 98, but doesn't have a leather cover like the Westpoint sword.

 

 

[robinalexander]

John maybe he only mounted his leather combat cover when he was on 'field exercises' and when he went home (as it looks from the background) he removed it?

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Rob, if you look carefully you will notice the Westpoint sword has a simpler wooden saya under the cover and not a normal Type 98 Saya like in the above picture.

 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Yet another sword for Yamashita, made by Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu: https://www.e-sword.jp/sale/2013/1310_1080syousai.htm

 

[lonely panet]

the myths of his swords are a fantastical as his gold treasures. 

 

im off to the philipines 

[Kiipu]

And another picture for John to look at.

Something different..., Post #2664

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Tom, looks like the Type 94 from this picture:

 

[Guest Simon R]

5 hours ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Hi Tom, looks like the Type 94 from this picture:

 

It's interesting to note that, in the lower photo, the sword hangers coming through the slot in the greatcoats are obviously the black leather dress belts with red inner facing. (Which, I guess, makes sense as this looks like a parade of some sort.)

[mauser99]

Alot of stuff in Museums if fake or the story is made up to sell admissions.  Most of the public walking through have no clue what they are looking at anyways... 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Yamashita in Malaya with the sword now at Westpoint:

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

I took these photos when I visited Westpoint.

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Really wish they have the photo of the tang or written Kanji of the smith's name instead of English only. Kanenaga could be 兼永 or 包永。