Yellow or Gold Tassels on Gunto

[Bruce Pennington]

We've all seen these.  They look like the cords you see on sword bags.  Many appear to be WWII era.  This one from some email correspondence with @Bob M. (if I got the right guy!?).  It's a much smaller cord and appears to have been woven or stitched on.  If we can get some close-ups shots to show it, I'll update.  Or Bob can if he's following this.

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

I know there have been many yellow cords posted, but after searching for "yellow cord" "gold cord" and "sword bag cord" these other 2 are the only ones I've come up with.  If fellow researchers can find others to post or link here, I'd appreciate it!

 

On a civil blade re-mounted for the war, posted by @CrazyforYou

 

This one on an Indonesian bring-back, posted by @Johnbull

[Stegel]

Bruce, i have some similar ones which came on Type 95's.

I'll go through and get some photos for you.

[robinalexander]

Alas, I only have a red one on a RS (Type 3)...I'll wait for a 'red' thread. 

[Bruce Pennington]

1 hour ago, robinalexander said:

'red' thread.

I saw that post.  John thought it might have been something to do with police.  You could still post it here, or a link.

[robinalexander]

Thanks Bruce just dont want to hijack your yelllow thread.

 

The tassel you are remembering is an unkown orange/red made of silk, and what sets it apart from a sword bag tassel or a jitte tassel or even an IJA bugle tassel are the two slide knots which are clearly part of the oackage and well made. Also the evidence of previously being fixed to something like a sarute.

 

Still a mystery I'm afraid  I bought it as part if a job lot of various IJA rank tassels, IJN tassels and sword hangers...all from a bona-fide lifetime collector (now deceased- RIP).

 

Now..... the red one I was referring to above, I will post separately below.

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[robinalexander]

22 hours ago, robinalexander said:

Alas, I only have a red one on a RS (Type 3)...I'll wait for a 'red' thread. 

This RS was purchased from a board member and had a red tassel.  (Nobumitsu March 1945).

 

It looks exactly like a chinese tassel that you could buy now on Ebay. Its not silk.

 

Have tried to find out its origin but no response from original owner.  It has been on there a while by the look of it but definately no way it is IJA.

 

Belived to have come from Saipan area bought back by a Marine (hi Stephen). Good story anyway.

 

At this point it will be left on the sword because thats the way it came.....any future owner can decide differently if they wish.

 

Rob

 

 

[IJASWORDS]

Bruce, I got no idea about this yellow/gold tassel but seen a few on RS late war. 

[robinalexander]

And and another from Kyle @kyushukairu on a 2018 thread

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Unfortunately those look to be modern reproductions.

[Bruce Pennington]

6 hours ago, robinalexander said:

a 2018 thread

Yes.  After reading the whole discussion on that one, it seems likely that Richard Fuller's commentary about a post-war maker putting that kind out there.  Just for future reference, though, the sword was surrendered in Bangkok, just in case others like it, from the same area, show up in the future!

[Stegel]

Here are 3 that i have, two are still on the swords (Type 95's) the other is only the remains as it was too brittle and dry, it fell off after having it for 2 days.

 

[Stegel]

I'm of the opinion that these may be a 'Good Luck' Charm type of thing, maybe even religious in nature.

As i live in an area with a large Asian presence, you can still see some things that make you go hhmmmm.

This was on a 4X4, not sure who the car 'smith' was at the moment, perhaps suzuki, honda, mitsubishi, toyota or even subaru! Definitely not a nissan/datsun!

[robinalexander]

I think your right on the mark Ernie.

 

Just did a quick question search on google as to what the colour yellow means in Japan.

 

Googles answer......

 

courage

 

2005/1/27 21:33. I find that fascinating, that in Japan the color yellow is one of courage. Here in America, it is the exact opposite. Yellow is considered the color of cowardice; indeed, to "show a yellow streak up the back" or to be "yellow bellied" or even just to be "yellow" is to be insultingly termed a coward.25 Jan 2005

https://www.Japan-guide.com › forum

Meaning of yellow? - Japan-guide.com forum

[Bruce Pennington]

This is an interesting idea.  I know Allied soldiers had all sorts of lucky charms, good luck items, they carried.  Pilots named their planes, often with courageous motifs.  Would not surprise me to find out Japanese soldiers adorned their swords with tassels that carried meaning.  They sure as heck adorned their nakago with plenty of that.

[Stegel]

 

Here's one on Fleabay at the moment, a Type98 from everyones favourite seller, the Monkey.

Also as long as we touched on possible 'Good Luck' charm usage of these straps, i found an interesting post from Nick over at WarRelics forum , it was on the sake cups thread where a dragon fly featured on the cup itself. Dragon flies are special in that they don't fly backwards, so have a special place for many in the East.

[PNSSHOGUN]

That one looks more like a curtain cord, another popular tassel replacement after the war.

[Bruce Pennington]

One from that Llodys action:

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

That appears to be a regular tassel with the ends clipped off, I think the officers did that before surrendering as I have seen quite a few of these.

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

a regular tassel with the ends clipped off

I saw that too, but was puzzled by the all-blue coloration.  I've seen faded ones that change color quite a bit, but this one seems to be blue on both sides.  Do you think it's just a faded brown/blue?

[Bruce Pennington]

One from an auction:

 

[robinalexander]

Three 'tassels' from the 'Liveauctioneers' (Price Results) website.

 

2 pics of each...long shot and then a close up.

 

Clearly not your regulated IJA/IJN tassels but interesting all the same.

 

The first two (red and brown) look very much like the current products coming out if China but its hard to discount the wear on that red one.  Maybe from a Jitte or even bugle?... who knows.

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Rob!  Good examples.  Wonder what that document is?  It doesn't look like a surrender tag.  And why would someone have affixed a tassel to it?

[kyushukairu]

Bruce, the middle part of the document just lists the mei ‘Noshu Seki ju Kojima Katsumasa saku’ (濃州関住小島勝正作).
Unfortunately the text at the top and bottom is too small to read.

[robinalexander]

Thanks Bruce and Kyle, 

 

Unfortunately I couldn't locate a clearer picture of document.

 

As to why they would attach yellow tassel's....I guess it just comes down to human nature...many people just like to dress things up either for sale or just to look at.

 

Yellow of course signifying 'courage' (Japan) would be appropriate for a sword.  The red ones? .... 'good luck' for the Chinese.....who knows.

 

Rob

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Another red one, this time on a Type 95.  Posted by Leo2018, on this Wehrmacht-awards thread.

[Itomagoi]

What kind of tassel is this one? Fake?

 

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/m1079324461?conversionType=search_suggest_history

[PNSSHOGUN]

Replica thought to be made by Nakata Shoten.

[Jay M]

Newbie here. In my research I’ve seen the tassel on a Type 95 to be red leather with a whistle in the tassel. The ver 1&2 had a buckle and looped through a hole in the tsuba. The ver 3 just looped through the ring. Are these the most accurate or can I just get some tassels to attach to my ver 3?

[Bruce Pennington]

If you’re trying to stay with an original look, I’d go with a tassel without buckle.

 

Question - never heard of that whistle.  Do you have an example?