Tenshozan Navy Dirk Souvenirs

[Bruce Pennington]

I'm asking for everyone who collects dirks to check for signs that it may be one of the 1,200 post-war souvenirs made by Tenshozan.  I don't know how we would identify them.  But Richard Fuller sent a request for any info we can come up with.  Here's his message:

 

"I have seen naval daggers with  part plastic  hilt and scabbard fittings. Obviously modelled on the normal metal fittings. Didn't take much notice of them and just labelled them as late war production. 
I would imagine that Tenshozan would have very little stores, or access to, real same (ray skin) for navy dagger hilts in 1946. I have one with normal gilded brass hilt fittings. Removable hilt. The crossguard and lower seppa are cut out for use with a spring clip although there is none, or provision for one, in the scabbard throat. The nodules on the grip covering are all small and of matching size which may indicate plastic rather than natural fish skin. Normal unsigned or stamped grooved blade. Dark brown leather over a non-magnetic 'metal' scabbard. Normal top scabbard fitting of thin gilded metal with opposing suspension rings. 'Plastic' lower mount modelled on the normal navy pattern. 
Could this be a  post war  Tenshozan  production? However I would have thought they would put their anchor and circle stamp or the cross guard or number the blade to confirm legal production."

[John C]

7 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

check for signs that it may be one of the 1,200 post-war souvenirs made by Tenshozan. 

This probably won't help (as usual), however my 3 (two marked Nakano shoten, one marked Suya shoten) seem to have the same metal fittings, etc. The only measurable difference is the Suya marked one has a heavier, chromed blade than the two Nakano brushed steel blades. 

 

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks John.  This is not an area I study, so my opinion carries little significance at this point.  But, I would think if they have been stamped by Suya and Nakano that they are wartime dirks.  

 

The one Richard Fuller is wondering about actually used celluloid for the sayajiri.  He's initially calling it a late-war version, but wondering if it might be one of the souvenirs we've read about.

Navy daggers with celluloid Fuller.pdf

[John C]

The pic helps. I believe the Japan Sword Shop once sold replicas that were similar in style, however I have not been able to find a pic of one to confirm.

 

John C.

[Kiipu]

Ohmura has a picture of a Tenshōzan 天照山 dirk.

http://ohmura-study.net/741.html

[Bruce Pennington]

It certainly has potential.

 

Sure wish we had one with a PX purchase certificate!  It's the only thing that locked in the souvenir sword.  At least the sword had the mish-mashed fittings.  This dirk looks completely wartime legit.