Austro-Hungarian saber/katana "gunto"

[buchtas]

Hi, I am still new to this forum but i want to share with everyone a unique piece, that is my absolute favorite among our vast collection, from the military history institute museum I work at as restorer/conservator. As the title, possibly somewhat confuzingly states, It is a amalgamation of a Japanese blade and Austrian officer navy fittings.

I will post some photos but I just found out that the are not great, i can and will take better photos of the blade around monday next week.

I will write everything we know about it plus some history toward the style of fittings it is housed in, and the blade was not removed from the handle yet, I have to get to it and find out if it is signed.

 

I will write some history here:

Austrian naval officer were issued navy sabers first in 1827, later in 1837 it was changed to more archaic straight blade "kord" or small sword in english. In 1846 new style of saber was adopted again, this model was based on frech navy saber.

This model was used during revolution years of 1848-1849 by officers who joined the rebels. After their surrender loyal navy officers requested new type of saber since previous one was, as a symbol of the emeror, disrespected and loyal officers refuzed to wear it. New model 1850 was created with elaborate carving on the handguard, anchor and mermaids, and later in 1871 hangers were added to the scabbard. for refference i have link to our museum website with example: https://www.vhu.cz/e...rnictva-vzor-185071/

Ownership of thissSaber with katana blade was by previous museum staff attributed to heir to the Heir to the throne of Austro-Hungarian empire Franz Ferdinand d´Este. It would be plausible given the quality of the workmanship on the golden fittings and the blade it self. Heir could have acquired it as a gift from Japan during his travels around the world between years 1892 and 1893. There is also some archival evidence (not sure if we have any photo evidence as well) that he admired the swordsmanship while visiting Japan beign avid and quite skilled swordsman himself, although proficient in saber combat only. Visited some showcases of sword combat and possibly participated in some form of friendly sparring.

Unortunately this  acquisition story is not supported by evidence and place of discovery. Current research by our curator of arms states that this saber belonged to one Hieronymus (Jeroným) VIII. Colloredo Mannsfeld (1870-1942) There are two pieces of information that suppor that it belonged to him, First: he held rank of Corvette Captain and was for quite some time stationed in Tokyo, later he became naval attaché in Berlin. He was overseeing Mansfeld holdings in Bhoemian lands including castle in town Zbiroh where this very saber was found, which is evidence number two.

Either way, now to the saber itself: https://www.vhu.cz/e...ictva-vzor-185071-2/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking about the condition, only damage is to kissaki, some light scratches and wear, possibly due to sheating and unsheating of the blade, othervise it is in great condition.

 

This is the few photos i have so far, I hastily took some because there was not time to fiddle with it, we were close to opening the museum after years of renovations, so I had to put it back on display fast.

What I will do next week is to get quality pictures of the blade so that everything can be viewed clearly.

 

I  know that Japan had many military swords that bore influence from European sabers of the time that were standart issue up until the return of the katana style of blades before Second World war, but i think this is very unique in that it is standart naval officer saber fittings fitted with nihonto. Photos may not speak to its quality but in person the quiality is amazing. 

 

I post this here as a curiosity and subject of research i plan to do with this blade, I plan to take it out of its fittings, probably will be first time since its creation.

 

I hope you like my post here, would be nice if this could spark some good conversation or posibly any ideas of its origin, but I understand that without closeup of the nakago and quality photos of the blade it could prove very difficult. Maybye we can follow up at later date.

Anyway thank you for reading this far, In near future I will take this off of the display and do some closeup exmination and share what I found.

 

Cheers

[Geraint]

Dear Martin.

 

Thank you for this interesting article.  I look forward to seeing more of this fascinating sword when you have the time.  More recently Field Marshal Sir Francis Festing had a Katana mounted as his General Officers sabre in the UK following WWII.  I am sure that there are other examples where European officers had Japanese blades mounted in appropriate style for their own military use.

 

All the best.

[Brian]

What a fascinating piece. Thanks for sharing.

[Bazza]

Ousaka Shintou???

 

BaZZa.

[Davis]

Thank you Martin, a very interesting article.  Geraint, I remember when the Field Marshal's collection came up for auction in London and feel sure the sword you mention was included, perhaps someone still has a copy of the catalogue and details of that sword?  I remember from my early days of collecting that there was a collector who as a young British Army Officer took one of his Japanese swords to the trenches in the 1914-18 war.  I also owned a yari blade that had been dug up from a former battlefield in France.  I  recall a picture in a 1920's book of the then Prince of Wales dressed as a Japanese General. As you say there must be other examples.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Mick, that sounds like the late Captain Raymond Johns. It is mentioned in one of the GB Token society programmes that he took a Wakizashi with him into the trenches.  

[Bruce Pennington]

Is the blade signed?

[Geraint]

Dear Mick.

 

I have a copy and will look it out.  From memory it was a Hizen Tadayoshi blade.

 

All the best.

[buchtas]

5 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Is the blade signed?

hi, i do not know yet, no document in the museum states anything about signature and given the knowledge how the collection was kept in the past, i dont think it was ever removed from the fittings, I intend to be the first one to check the nakago

[Davis]

Thanks John,  I was going to write Captain Johns, then had my doubts and started to think about Biggles, memory not too good.  Thanks Geraint, I would like to see it , Martin's article has opened a door on a fascinating subject. Martin, really looking forward to more on this.

[Davis]

Hi Martin, you probably know of this.  While researching for something else I came across a reference to the collection of " The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria"  It mentioned that 17 tsuba with a link to him were to be auctioned off on Monday 10th December 1923 in the Kielmannseggsaale.  This would seem to suggest that the nobility had the interest, resources and opportunity to acquire some good pieces.  Source. Japanese Sword Guards In The Collection Of Georg Oeder Of Dusseldorf.

[buchtas]

Hi Mick, Thank you for the info, I didn´t know about this to be honest, do you have any links or sources for that mention ? I would be interested in digging further into it... When i get to it. But it is interesting that something like this was auctioned off in 1923, most of his collections are still in Czech Republic, at least what Nazis didnt loot. I find this interesting.

 

[Geraint]

Dear Mick.

 

I'm slipping, here's the sword from the Festing collection.  Not Tadayoshi at all.

 

Description: 'A Shinshinto Bizen Yokoyama Katana by Sukenaga, dated 1850.  The blade of deep koshizori, shinogi-zukuri with chu-kissaki, gunomr-midare hamon of nioi and ko-nie with yakidashi, midare-komi boshi, ko-itame-hada, ubu-nakago with kiri-yasuri, mei Kiku-mon Ichi, Biyo Osafune Kyo, Yokoyama Kage (no) Suke Fujiwara Sukenaga, dated Kaei 3rd year (1850), 8th month; length 70.5cm, curve 2.4cms, in army mounts, inscribed MAde by John Latham F.S.A. Sword Cutler.  Maj-General F.W.Festing, June, 1950, with a chrome and leather scabbard.'

 

All the best.

[Davis]

Hi Martin, I tried to provide that information but it wouldn't work for me...old age and lack of computer skills.  In my post " Value of old German Book" Dale, it seems would be able to provide you with much more information, a lot of it new to me..  Also, I told you the wrong number of tsuba.  Basically, it would seem,  Rudiger the Baron of Biegeleben was selling his collection.  Tsuba 607 - 725 were "linked" to the Archduke.

 

Thanks very much Geraint, for some reason I had thought the blade was much older -perhaps I'm thinking of another of his swords mounted in that way.

[Promo]

Just a very wild hint, are you aware that the royal house of Salm-Reifferscheidt, having their home in Schloss Steyregg, just north of the Danube, close to Linz, and therefore about two hours drive from Blatná, have had a Japanese ancestor? Aoki Shūzō started studying at Berlin University back in 1869 and later was Japanese Foreign Minister and was the great-grandfather of the current head of the family. They still have a few items from him in their castle, but of course some stuff disappeared over the decades too.

 

Some links on this (sorry, they are German, you can try Google Translator):

https://oag.jp/event...m-privaten-nachlass/

https://www.nachrich...2-Jahren;art4,575690

https://oag.jp/event...1844-1914-im-profil/

 

It may also have been a potential connection. One would need to research if any of the Salm-Reifferscheidt family has had a Naval function in WWI to see if this theory makes sense.

 

PS: I love your museums website, especially all the very cool and rare weapons (for me: especially firearms) you have displayed there! Thanks for doing this stuff, despite I can't speak Czech! I hope to one day make it there and get to see at least some of them in person.

[buchtas]

Hi Georg, thank you for you hint, that is an interesting background of said royal house, I did not know about that and it is fascinating. And thank you for the links, might be a great place to visit and research.

 

And Little off topic here I am pleased that you like our website, I can most definetly recommend you to visit our museum, but be aware it I recommend to take 2 full days to go through all the exhibits, we have someting like 4 to 7 K items on display, 99.9 percent originals, small items to artillery. Also if you are interested in rare guns and know Forgotten weapons he will be posting some videos from our collection he was fimling there 2 months ago, I know that since I was helping him film.

[Promo]

Yeah, Ian was already at my home filming stuff from my collection in the past, I know him well. If there is any chance to make it to your museum I‘ll PM you and maybe we can also meet in person!