Identification Help WW2 Sword

[DaBears]

HELP! I have no idea what I have so I'm appealing to the experts.  About all I know is that my father acquired it during the liberation of the Philippines during WW2 where he saw combat as a US Army officer.  It sat in our basement for decades.
I have included some very quick photos to help with identifying it.  My goal is to sell it but I know it needs work.  The leather covering for the hilt is missing.  It needs polishing and overall deep cleaning.  Not even sure how to sell it.  
The blade is still sharp but did find a few small nicks.  
Any help in identifying it and perhaps a value is much, much appreciated....Frank

 

[Stephen]

Id ask in translation section.

Show tang blade up with nothing, ie fittings on it.

[SteveM]

A better picture of the other side of the tang would help. The side I can read is an owner's inscription:

 

於興亜聖戦陣頭
Oite Kōa seisen jintō
From the front line of the Asian holy war of unification.

 

高原登喜夫佩之
Takahara Tokio kore wo haisuru
This sword worn by Tokio Takahara.

[DaBears]

Will these two pictures help?  I sent two orientations of each. Thank you, again!
 

[SteveM]

金剛兵衛盛高靖博

Kongo Byoe Moritaka Yasuhiro

 

More info at the link below. Looking at the smith's signature, and knowing the sword is contemporary with WW2, I think the signature on the other side was probably carved by the same person (and wasn't carved by the owner as I had orignally thought). It could have been the smith himself who made the inscriptions, or an associate or apprentice. 

 

 

 

 

M

[Bruce Pennington]

Frank,

Personally, I think this is likely to be quite a nice blade and may be worth a professional polish.  It would be a shame to sell it, unless you are simply not interested in the collecting hobby.  The seppa (metal spacers) are unique, I've only seen this style once before - maybe @PNSSHOGUN can refresh my memory where - and the large number of them speaks of a custom job (not to mention the extra verbiage on the nakago!).  For $2-300 you can get the handle re-wrapped, but the polish will run over $2,000.  But I think this gunto would be worth restoration.

 

And BTW, thanks for posting as the smith's personal kao is one I didn't have in the Stamps of the Japanese Sword document.  I've added it to the a newer version that I'll post sometime in the future.

[dwmc]

Frank,

My father was also in the Philippines during wwll. I would encourage you to consider a modest restoration, and to keep your fathers momento of his time during wwll.

Below is an example of a sword which was in close to the same condition as yours, the handle (tsuka) was in the same condition, and was restored by Fred Lohman, the blade unlike yours is a poorly polished bar stock (showato). The leather covered scabbard  (saya) was left as is. Fred has unfortunately passed away, however David McDonald and  Ted Tenold  both in Montana would excellent people for restoration. I would also suggest a darker Same' for tsuka, pearl white would not go well.

You have a sword and a legacy worth keeping...

 

Dave M.

[Stephen]

Well said Dave..

[george trotter]

  On 7/9/2021 at 5:11 AM, Bruce Pennington said:

Frank,

 The seppa (metal spacers) are unique, I've only seen this style once before - maybe @PNSSHOGUN can refresh my memory where - and the large number of them speaks of a custom job . 

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Bruce, do you mean the "notches" cut in each "corner" of the the two large blued seppa to allow the 4 sakura blossoms on the tsuba to fit?

Here is a similar set on one of my blades (only one seppa is "notched" though).  As you say, these are not common but we do see them from time to time so not ultra rare.

My blade is mumei shinshinto/Meiji era (I think). Mounts have silver mon 

[Bruce Pennington]

  On 7/9/2021 at 2:49 PM, george trotter said:

"notches" cut in each "corner"

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Yes.  Have you posted this gunto in an earlier thread showing a view of them assembled on the blade?  If not, then there is another one I saw on an NMB post.

[george trotter]

I don't think so Bruce, only assembled on blade pics were like that above, from a distance...never any pic of them up-close assembled - the "notches" were never a subject of discussion before...that pic above is the only one I've posted.

Like I said, rare, but they do turn up.

[Ooitame]

+2 for Dave, and Bruce's advice. It is interesting the theater of war and owner are engraved. You could always send it to a togishi for an opinion.  Best of luck Frank.

[Bruce Pennington]

Resurrecting an old thread.

 

Needing some clarification @SteveM.  From reading the links, Moritaka Yasuhiro is the same guy who also signed as Minamoto Moritaka?

I have koa, originally listed as "Moritaka", and the mei is Minamoto Moritaka, but the koa is the same as this one of the OP.  Which adds up if they are the same guy.  But today, @francois2605 posted a Minamoto Moritaka that had a different kao.

 

Francois' Moritaka:

These seem to both be Minamoto Moritaka, but different kao.

[SteveM]

  On 5/17/2023 at 5:17 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

Moritaka Yasuhiro is the same guy who also signed as Minamoto Moritaka?

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Yes, same guy. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Steve! Now I have the mystery as to why there are two different kao for Minamoto Moritaka!

[John C]

  On 7/9/2021 at 5:11 AM, Bruce Pennington said:

The seppa (metal spacers) are unique,

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Bruce:

Just came across this thread and thought it was interesting. The sword I just purchased has the same notched seppa to fit the sakura. Type 98 showato.

John C.