Help with signature on Kyu-gunto blade

[moriarty]

I would appreciate any information/translation on this piece, I'm stumped and having trouble finding something similar anywhere else

[Geraint]

Dear Maurice.

 

I shouldn't bother if I were you.  From what we have seen so far this is a recent reproduction.  It is possible that better pictures may prove otherwise, but................

 

All the best.

[Bruce Pennington]

Maurice,

Have you already purchased this?  If so, try to get your money back.  It is a well-known fake.  I have several of these on file.  They are usually found trying to be Type 95 NCOs, but I have a small number of Type 19s, like yours (not Kyu gunto), on file too. 

 

The side you are showing is a date - 1940 - and usually has a serial number at the bottom, like this:

 

The other side should have some kanji and a flag, like this:

[Brian]

Very fake unfortunately.

[Kantaro]

Polish seller?

[Bruce Pennington]

57 minutes ago, Kantaro said:

Polish?

I don't think anyone has pinned down just where these are coming from.

 

My guess is China, though.  Where there are flowers, they appear to be plum rather than cherry:

[Kantaro]

Hi Bruce, I saw something similar on ebay yesterday and it was sold by a Polish seller.

 

[Kantaro]

Let me see if I can find the link:

 

Japanese Sword WW2 KYU GUNTO Saber | eBay

 

[Bruce Pennington]

1 hour ago, Kantaro said:

Let me see if I can find the link:

 

Japanese Sword WW2 KYU GUNTO Saber | eBay

 

That would certainly point in the Polish direction, though, not proof, as the seller could have still gotten the sword from another who got it from China.  Still, your link is the first bit of evidence I've seen.

 

Here's the other side with the flag: