Below your pay grade?

[Fusilier]

G'day Everyone,

 

I'm reticent to ask this as I'm cognicent it might be below the pay grade of experts with the sort of knowledge you guys have.  I recently traveled down to Bega to purchase a immaculate Type 32 'Ko' Cavalry Sabre and unexpectedly picked up this Mumai Uchigatana at the same time, Like a couple I've seen it has some painted mei on the hilt and I understand that these are normally numbers added during production.  Would that be the case here?

 

Interestingly, the Type 32 that I'd gone to buy to list is the best I've ever come across and I probably won't be selling it, but I will list this one at some point.

 

Cheers David

[Bryce]

G'day David,

The painted kanji are the numbers 9 2 4. Normally you would expect to see them repeated on all of the fittings. It looks like it may be a showato blade in type 98 gunto koshirae, with the saya missing a few bits and pieces.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Fusilier]

Cheers Bryce, much appreciated, it is pretty rough but its 'as found' which is how I'll leave it.  Cheers David