Robert S Posted April 8 Report Posted April 8 A friend was given this "katana" in gratitude for helping out someone. It appears to me to be a post-war reproduction. The blade appears to be made with a solid steel core, with laminated facings on both sides, similar to the way that some Japanese kitchen knives are made today, although with signs of weld failure between the core and the laminated sections. It then appears to have been etched. It does have a "mei", and the tang has been filed. The fittings on the saya are cast, probably in white metal, and then possibly plated. The saya itself has been re-laquered (painted?) at some point, but is old enough to have been attacked by wood borers My conclusion is that this is a "reproduction" from the 1950's or 60's, made somewhere in Asia. Given the much greater expertise of many on this forum, I wonder if there are any further thoughts on this. I know that they are generally described as "chinese fakes", but wonder as well if things like this were ever made in Japan as well for the tourist trade? 1 Quote
Robert S Posted April 8 Author Report Posted April 8 On 4/8/2025 at 7:38 PM, lonely panet said: Filthy repro. Not Japanese. Expand 100% it's a reproduction, and clearly not traditionally made. I'm just wondering if it might have been made in Japan if I'm right about the age. Those of us of a certain (advanced) age can remember when "Made in Japan" was a synonym for cheaply made items conventionally described as "junk" (1950's and early 60's), and not for items of high quality (1970's onward). Quote
Brian Posted April 9 Report Posted April 9 This is, was and always was illegal in Japan. At no stage would it have been allowed to be made in Japan, the laws prohibit it. 2 Quote
ZH1980 Posted April 9 Report Posted April 9 On 4/9/2025 at 6:16 AM, Brian said: This is, was and always was illegal in Japan. At no stage would it have been allowed to be made in Japan, the laws prohibit it. Expand True that counterfeiting has always been illegal on paper, but, in practice, Japan lacked meaningful enforcement mechanisms against counterfeit goods until legal reforms that were passed in the 1970s. Laws on paper are great, but without enforcement mechanisms, laws often meaningless. Post War Japan is a good example of this, particularly vis-a-vis counterfeit products. 1 Quote
Nobody Posted April 9 Report Posted April 9 On 4/8/2025 at 9:03 PM, Robert S said: 100% it's a reproduction, and clearly not traditionally made. I'm just wondering if it might have been made in Japan if I'm right about the age. Those of us of a certain (advanced) age can remember when "Made in Japan" was a synonym for cheaply made items conventionally described as "junk" (1950's and early 60's), and not for items of high quality (1970's onward). Expand Japan might made cheap products in those days, but never made such ugly products. The sword is absolutely not Japanese taste. 1 Quote
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