Help Requested Identifying Sword Stamp

Yoshimichi · August 29, 2021

Dear NMB member:

I recently acquired this with other swords from a collection put together in the 70's and 80's. In reviewing a previous topic, I am wondering if this is an Emergency late war sword produced in China or Korea during the War. It appears to have the correct Japanese foul weather covered saya, similar looking tsuka, but a stamp on the tang I am not familiar with and do not recognize. Can anyone translate or identify this mark? Any comments are appreciated.

Regards,

Bill E, Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

BANGBANGSAN · August 29, 2021

Maybe 恆 or 悟？

Kiipu · August 29, 2021

There are pictures of Japanese enlisted soldiers in China carrying this style of sword. I am starting to think they may have purchased some of these locally. Eventually, the army cracked down on this and put a stop to it in May 1939.

Quote

These entitlements for wearing swords got somewhat out of control in the campaigns in China where many non-entitled men also wore private Samurai swords. So on 13th May 1939 an order went out to enforce entitlement regulations. Thus you got into trouble with MPs for wearing swords when you were not qualified to do so.

Short Development History of Type 95 Gunto, Post #8

Attention: @Shamsy

Bruce Pennington · August 29, 2021

You might be onto something Thomas. The fuchi looks legit and the kabutogane is well made, by the same shop by the looks of the style. Yet only the fuchi is military. As we have observed over the years, civil swords re-fitted for the war effort come in widely varied combinations. It would not surprise me if this were a Chinese made sword, bought by an NCO, like you propose, and the military fuchi put on. Interesting idea.

In the past, these type swords were always labeled as fakes. And in truth, they very well may be. But I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle, where some are fakes, but some are Chinese made during the war; along with all the island-made swords, and POW made swords.

BANGBANGSAN · August 30, 2021

@Kiipu

Thomas

Those swords maybe made at the local smith shop by the Japanese Gunto repair team sent from Japan.

Yoshimichi · September 1, 2021

Gentlemen:

Thanks so much for the comments. Great information!

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

Kiipu · September 13, 2021

On 8/29/2021 at 6:03 PM, BANGBANGSAN said:

Those swords maybe made at the local smith shop by the Japanese Gunto repair team sent from Japan.

Cross-Reference Link

Theater-made Gunto

Kiipu · September 13, 2021

On 8/29/2021 at 2:23 PM, BANGBANGSAN said:

Maybe 恆 or 悟?

I found you a second sword to take a look at. It was posted by @Stegel back in 2018 and the character on the obverse side of the tang could be the same as the one on @Yoshimichi's sword. Could you please look again and see if you can make out the Chinese character?

Need Help Identifying Blade And Sword

BANGBANGSAN · September 14, 2021

22 hours ago, Kiipu said:

I found you a second sword to take a look at. It was posted by @Stegel back in 2018 and the character on the obverse side of the tang could be the same as the one on @Yoshimichi's sword. Could you please look again and see if you can make out the Chinese character?

Need Help Identifying Blade And Sword

Thomas

I think the Kanji on this sword is the same as the other one, either 恆 or 悟.

Kiipu · September 14, 2021

Thank you so much Trystan for helping with all the Chinese character identifications over the years. I am kinda leaning more toward 恆 on this one. However, I will need to find you some more examples to compare it to.

Kiipu · September 14, 2021

@BANGBANGSAN I have located the same sword on another forum which has a closeup of the Chinese character. Let me know if this changes anything in your opinion.

Senior NCO Sword, Post #96

Yoshimichi · September 18, 2021

Dear Thomas, Trystan, and Bruce:

Thanks for all of the additional information and links. Great job!

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

Shamsy · November 1, 2021

@Kiipu bit late to the party but I am sure we had a thread with a lot of information about swords that were supposedly made by a Chinese arsenal, which from memory were for collaboration forces. Those swords, however, had a distinct style that could be called a 'pattern'. This sword does not fit that particular style of koshirae.

AlphaRaider · September 28, 2022

What was the conclusion you all have come to with the stamp marking?

I have recently obtained a sword with this exact symbol.

Bruce Pennington · October 17, 2022

On 9/28/2022 at 12:57 AM, AlphaRaider said:

What was the conclusion you all have come to with the stamp marking?

I have recently obtained a sword with this exact symbol.

Jonathan,

The short answer is no one knows. It is definitely from a specific sword maker because it shows up on several swords and they are all the same style. But we don’t know what the character means, nor do we know for sure if it is made by occupied territories for the Japanese war effort or if it is just out and out fakery. I personally lean toward the idea that it was made in occupied lands for the Japanese war effort. Seeing yours in hand, personally, reinforces that idea for me.

AlphaRaider · November 14, 2022

@Yoshimichi I had reached out to Yoshimichi, but he said he was never at the place I bought the sword from while at a show in Arizona.

He said he did not sell this sword sword to me. However I currently own this exact sword this post concerns. I asked some additional questions, sadly he hasn't written back since. perhaps when he logs back on in the future.

The hunt still continues I guess

PNSSHOGUN · November 14, 2022

So he still has the sword in his possession? Two examples of a unique item are always promising!

AlphaRaider · November 14, 2022

20 minutes ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

So he still has the sword in his possession? Two examples of a unique item are always promising!

I'm positive, I currently own this sword. Perhaps he sold it to some one else before I bought it?

The gentleman I bought it from at the show said he was selling it for a "friend" if I remember correctly. He stated his buddy bought it from an estate sale in the mid 70's and has kept it since. He said he couldn't make it to the show so he took three swords for his "friend" to sell.