Grandpa’s Mystery Sword

[scumfiend]

Hi there! 
 

My grandpa passed away around a year ago, and my father was left with a sword that he owned among other things. Grandpa never liked to talk about where he got it or how, so it always piqued my interest. Recently, I took it apart to inspect it, and I came across several very interesting Katakana symbols that I haven’t for the life of me been able to translate thus far. Plus, the ones on the top of the handguard have been crossed out. 

 

Reddit told me it was a modified Kyu-Gunto that likely belonged to a naval prison officer at some point. Would you all agree? I’m not necessarily looking for worth here, moreso just wanting to see if I can track down where it came from. 

Thank you!

[Kiipu]

The subassembly number is 22.

廾二 = 22.

[scumfiend]

6 minutes ago, Kiipu said:

The subassembly number is 22.

廾二 = 22.

What does that mean? Sorry, I’m not too well-versed in swords. 

[Geraint]

Dear John.

 

Assembly numbers are used to make sure that the same parts all fit the blade when the sword is made.  These are not generally mass produced in the sense of interchangeable parts so the small shop where this was assembled stamped the number into all the bits so that once they fitted they stayed with that sword.

 

If Naval Shore Patrol then there would be fouled anchor engravings at the end of the scabbard and the back strap of the hilt.  Here is one of those. 

 

Note the straigter hilt, the absence of the shaped scabbard throat and the lack of side ears on the back strap. Also yours has acrew at the end of the pommel, Naval swords of this type generally have a flower shaped head here.

 

Others will add to this but Police might be the answer.

 

All the best.

 

 

[scumfiend]

10 minutes ago, Geraint said:

Dear John.

 

Assembly numbers are used to make sure that the same parts all fit the blade when the sword is made.  These are not generally mass produced in the sense of interchangeable parts so the small shop where this was assembled stamped the number into all the bits so that once they fitted they stayed with that sword.

 

If Naval Shore Patrol then there would be fouled anchor engravings at the end of the scabbard and the back strap of the hilt.  Here is one of those. 

 

Note the straigter hilt, the absence of the shaped scabbard throat and the lack of side ears on the back strap. Also yours has acrew at the end of the pommel, Naval swords of this type generally have a flower shaped head here.

 

Others will add to this but Police might be the answer.

 

All the best.

 

 

I see. So, this was likely a custom-made sword? Would there be any way to tell where it came from or who owned it previously? I have plenty more pictures to send and/or look over if that helps. 

[DTM72]

Looks like a police sword, without the police badge at the end of the handle.

[Bruce Pennington]

19 hours ago, scumfiend said:

Would there be any way to tell where it came from or who owned it previously?

No.  The only way is when the sword has a surrender tag attached.