Type 98 Shin Gunto

[Butch]

Here is a type 98 Shin Gunto officers sword made circa 1934-36.

The quality of the sword is exceptional but unusual is it is not signed only an arsenal stamp ?

The blade looks like a antique Koto Tachi blade as it as a nicely delicate shape blade though not traditional made it as received a lot of work an artificial  hamon as been but on the blade with a stone.

The sword fittings are very high quality and are all matching numbers .

The saya as the private purchase red colour brown paint .

And the sword is fitted with Major /Colonels tassel .

I have showed to someone whose opinion I highly respect and he believes it is a style which was purchased from The Army Officers Club in Tokyo …

[Butch]

[Butch]

[Butch]

[Butch]

[Butch]

[Butch]

I just love the shape of the Tsuka being more of a banana shape ….

[Conway S]

Looks like a Kokura Arsenal zohei-to. Very nice condition!

 

Conway 

[Butch]

Thanks Conway for your comment….

[Butch]

Sorry I missed the pic of the end of the blade 

[John C]

Does look like a nice zohei-to. From Ohmura's site:

 

John C.

[Butch]

Thanks John this forum is a great font of knowledge will get my eyeglass out tomorrow to see if I can find any inspection marks ..

Gareth 

[Bruce Pennington]

11 hours ago, Butch said:

I just love the shape of the Tsuka being more of a banana shape ….

I like the look, too.  There is a name for the shape, but I don't know it.  

 

Thomas, @Kiipu, can give you a fuller picture of the year range, but It's my gut feeling they were mostly produced in the mid-late 1930s when the demand for the traditional style became a reality, turning away from the Western styled sabers (kyugunto).

 

@mecox another one for your Kokura list!

[PNSSHOGUN]

A very good example of a Zohei-To, the tassel is the better sort as well. 

[Butch]

Thanks for your comment I was wondering if the tassel was original ..

Gareth 

[mecox]

@Butch  Gareth, yes a nice example of a Zohei-to in good (early?) Type 98 koshirae.  In recent posted article is a summary of them, some examples plus outline of Kokura Arsenal .