Unknown sword, looking for info

[Tomclutts]

I discovered this under my grandfathers house. I am looking for any info on authenticity.

 

anybhelp appreciated.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Tom,

This is a naval stainless steel sword from WWII. The stamp (anchor) is an arsenal mark and the black paint are numbers (36 & 62) used to keep parts together for assembly.

Grey

[vajo]

Souvenir sword sold by the PX. 

Its after war.

[Kiipu]

Hi Tom, as Chris implied, a postwar souvenir sword.  There is an article about them that you can see at the link below.  All the best and Happy New Year to you and yours.

The Mysterious Naval Landing Forces Sword

[John C]

Tom:

Agree with Thomas and Chris being a souvenir sword. The big tells are the oblong shaped plain tsuba and the clipped end of the nakago. You will also find the fuchi and seppa are a one-piece design.

John C. 

[Bridges]

Neat find Tom! 

[Bruce Pennington]

Tom,

Your question of "authenticity" - it is an authentically made Japanese sword, not a fake.  If you'll check out the article in Thomas' link, you'll see how and when these were made.  But the short version is that Tenshzan factory made over 8,000 of these immediately after the war, on contract with the 8th Army PX store.  They sold some, also, through the local store Japanese Sword Shop (if I have that name right).  I like these swords, own one myself, as they were the last swords Japan made due to WWII.

[Brian]

US was VERY dumb back then.
Confiscate and destroy hundreds of thousands of swords. Then contract to have some made for sale through PX, and also allow Japan Sword to make swords.
Can you imagine how different things would have been if they had just sorted those confiscated swords and sold them through the PX? Hmmm

[Bruce Pennington]

9 minutes ago, Brian said:

confiscated swords and sold them through the PX?

Love it!  But you're thinking.  Government officials aren't allowed to do that.  Dangerous! Ha!  Just for the fun of the discussion, though, there was a Pacific commander (don't remember CINCPAC acronym from back then) order in 1946 that outlawed war trophy bringbacks, so maybe that would have been a problem?  Also, as I understand it, the reason McArthur let them make the souvenirs was his need to revitalize Japanese industry and economy.  So that alone probably would have been a deciding factor.  

[vajo]

Maybe Mc Arthur wanted to break the myth by destroying the swords. The PX swords as souvenier is like the produce of ice pickle fjm44 selling in Berchtesgaden after the war.

 

As i was a child spending holidays there my father buys me one because i was fascinated from it. Only a tourist piece not a real one. 

[Tomclutts]

Thanks for all the help! Guess it worth what I found it for.... lol