Looking for information

[Nicholas]

Hi,

   I am looking for further information on a sword I recently acquired. The sword is signed Koa Isshan Mantetsu and dated. There is also a long inscription I believe says “Presented by the railway company of Jilin, Harbin, and Qiqihar” there is also a surrender tag with the name “Dotomi Takeo”. From my research Jilin, Harbin and Qiqihar are city’s or hubs for the railway in Manchuria. That’s about all I know. I’ve never seen another Koa Isshan like this anywhere. If anyone has any suggestions or information it would be greatly appreciated.

[Nicholas]

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks for posting this Nicholas!  This was posted a few years ago by Dale, @DGARBUTT, here:

He had never posted the serial number, but thanks to you, we now have it!  @BANGBANGSAN, Trystan, believed (as stated in that thread) that these were probaby presented to high ranking Railway Police officers or railway Directors.  You already know it's a Mantetsu Koa Isshin blade.  The date is Spring, 1941, and the inscription says:

 

贈

吉林

哈爾浜

斉々哈爾

各鉄道局

 

Presented by the railway companies of 

Jilin

Harbin

Qiqihar

 

Thanks to @SteveM

 

And to your point of it being the only one ever observed - I thought yours was going to be #2, but I see they are exactly the same blade.

[Nicholas]

Yes, I purchased the sword from the colonel’s son this is that sword. Ive seen this thread it’s where I got most of my information. I guess this is the only one that’s ever come up. Thanks Bruce

[BANGBANGSAN]

 

Nicholas

 

Thanks for posting the ser#.I saw this sword posted on a Facebook group not long ago. I was interested in purchasing it, but the guy mentioned to me the seller who prefers dealing with buyers in person. 

[Nicholas]

2 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said:

 

Nicholas

 

Thanks for posting the ser#.I saw this sword posted on a Facebook group not long ago. I was interested in purchasing it, but the guy mentioned to me the seller who prefers dealing with buyers in person. 

I actually drove to pick up the sword in person last week. Hard to find any information or references. Do you have any ideas on how to proceed about finding out more information about the sword. Who or what it was made for. Are there any more?

[Nicholas]

16 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

He had never posted the serial number, but thanks to you, we now have it!

Bruce can you tell me what the serial number is on this sword

[Bruce Pennington]

I am on my phone, so I can’t type the Japanese katakana character, but in English it is RE 524.

[Kiipu]

All of these railway bureaus were a part of Manchukuo National Railway 滿洲國有鐵道.

Manchukuo National Railway

[BANGBANGSAN]

5 hours ago, Nicholas said:

Bruce can you tell me what the serial number is on this sword

レ五二四 =Re 524

[BANGBANGSAN]

17 hours ago, Nicholas said:

I actually drove to pick up the sword in person last week. Hard to find any information or references. Do you have any ideas on how to proceed about finding out more information about the sword. Who or what it was made for. Are there any more?

Maybe you should read this info about Mantestu sword  http://ohmura-study.net/998.html

In my previous response on the other thread, this sword is a presentation sword given to their employee. Apart from the signature (mei) containing that information, it is a standard-made Mantetsu sword. They made around 35000（maybe a little more) Mantetsu swords during 7 years, we are uncertain about the exact number of these swords that were gifted; I speculate not too many, perhaps a couple hundred or so? However, yours is the only one that has surfaced by far.

[Nicholas]

4 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said:

Maybe you should read this info about Mantestu sword  http://ohmura-study.net/998.html

In my previous response on the other thread, this sword is a presentation sword given to their employee. Apart from the signature (mei) containing that information, it is a standard-made Mantetsu sword. They made around 35000（maybe a little more) Mantetsu swords during 7 years, we are uncertain about the exact number of these swords that were gifted; I speculate not too many, perhaps a couple hundred or so? However, yours is the only one that has surfaced by far.

Trystan,

    I have read Ohmura and I am aware of what Mantetsu blades are and how many they made. I admit Mantetsu are not my forte when it comes to collecting and I may be learning as I go about them but we can’t say without speculating how many of these presentation swords were made. There is no reference to another one in any books that I’ve seen or from scouring throughout the internet. In my opinion the mei adds provenance which sets it apart from regular Mantetsu blades and for who it was made for maybe the surrender tag will eventually shed some light.

 

Regards,

Nick

[BANGBANGSAN]

13 hours ago, Nicholas said:

Trystan,

    I have read Ohmura and I am aware of what Mantetsu blades are and how many they made. I admit Mantetsu are not my forte when it comes to collecting and I may be learning as I go about them but we can’t say without speculating how many of these presentation swords were made. There is no reference to another one in any books that I’ve seen or from scouring throughout the internet. In my opinion the mei adds provenance which sets it apart from regular Mantetsu blades and for who it was made for maybe the surrender tag will eventually shed some light.

 

Regards,

Nick

Could you post a photo of the tag?

[Conway S]

46 minutes ago, BANGBANGSAN said:

Could you post a photo of the tag?

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

7 hours ago, Conway S said:

 

Thanks, Conway！