Intriguing Junsa sword

[Bridges]

Hello all,

 

 I’m finally returning after a leave of absence due to getting some personal things in order. Anyhow, I’m glad to be back! This is an intriguing Junsa with a blade in poor condition yet, some interesting features. The saya is painted black. A unique chain extends from the inlets of the guard to the pommel. A large “mon like” pin of the 10 petal cherry blossom is emblazoned on the right. But a non matching, irregular looking 5 cherry petal is on the left handle over a motif of possibly the sun? The habaki which is traditionally silver on these sabers is instead copper. The fuchi is elegantly engraved but the pommel has an oddly shaped, elongated end. The guard is even engraved (although I have not yet translated it)! The Junsa I have observed are often basic and standard in nature. This piece has several oddities uncommon to me on Junsa. I would appreciate input on this matter as I am considering bringing this into my collection despite the damaged blade.

 Edit:I have included a standard Junsa of mine for reference.

[Bruce Pennington]

Both Dawson and Plimton show a vast variety of police sword variations, several of them numbered on the handguard, like this.  But none of them have the 10 petal sakura, nor the quite unusual sakura on the other side, and they all have a police badge somewhere on the handle.  Plain, unadorned backstraps tend to be classified as patrolman and sergeant swords.  Dawson has some unknown, custom swords he calls "police like", and a couple of them have 10 petal sakura on the curly thingy on the top end of the handguard.  

 

Waiting for @lonely panet or other police sword experts to chime in on this baby.  Also could use a translation of the number.  

[Bridges]

@Bruce Penningtonthanks for the input Bruce! My version of Dawson’s doesn’t mention much about police Junsa but it does go into type 19 police models. I know before I left there were rumors of a version coming out concerning gunto but I failed to attain a copy. Still awaiting a translation from another community on the guard but I’m hopeful. Do you think there is a possibility of this having Manchurian influence? I could be wrong, but the kisaki is not similar to the copies I’ve seen and to me, reminds me more of copies from China but everything else looks correct.

[Bruce Pennington]

I'm a bad person to speculate as I don't study these, but that's the first thing I thought of when I saw that unusual sakura.

 

A lot of the guys take the weekend off, but between now and Monday, @SteveM, @Kiipu, or @BANGBANGSAN will helps us out.

[BANGBANGSAN]

The kanji is

 

兵(兵器-Weapon)

 

甲（Class/Grade A)

 

第貳七九番 (Number 279)