Possible Chinese contemporary type 32

[Jimny]

Won this at auction a few months ago thinking I was getting a rough looking type 32 from the auction pictures but after getting it in person and discovering it's not a type 32 but something strange as it seems well made and pretty similar in quality to the type 32 I already have and from the condition and age of the leather it seems contemporary with the age of the ones I already have. Anyhow can anyone give anymore information or ideas about what I have? 

 

I have included pictures of how it came and how it's looking now ( was pleasantly surprised when the xinhai stars started emerging from under the rust although they and the stamp on the blade are the only markings I could find)

[Jimny]

And the cleaned up pictures next to a type 32 KO.

[Jimny]

And more.

[Jimny]

And the last ones.

[Kiipu]

Indeed, it is Chinese, but not a current reproduction.

 

Trystan, note the Beiyang star.  I have not seen one before. Have you?

 

Correction: It is the symbol of Republic of China army that was used from 1913 to 1928.

[BANGBANGSAN]

  On 4/11/2025 at 1:49 PM, Kiipu said:

Indeed, it is Chinese, but not a current reproduction.

 

@BANGBANGSAN note the Beiyang star.  I have not seen one before. Have you?

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I think these were originally exported to the Qing Dynasty（清國） by 壽屋 in 1906, and later the Beiyang（北洋） Government replaced the screws and added their own markings.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Really cool find, Jimmy!

[Jimny]

Thanks for the information, although it is missing the spring clip feature completely so is this a special feature for Chinese export as opposed to surplus Japanese production? Also any idea what the characters say on the blade? Thanks again.

[BANGBANGSAN]

  On 4/11/2025 at 3:30 PM, Jimny said:

Thanks for the information, although it is missing the spring clip feature completely so is this a special feature for Chinese export as opposed to surplus Japanese production? Also any idea what the characters say on the blade? Thanks again.

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壽屋（Suya)

[Kiipu]

Perry, I think your sword was made sometime during the 1913 to 1928 time frame.  The reason for this train of thought is that is when the symbol on the sword was used by the Chinese army.  It was probably made earlier rather than later.

 

This is the first time I have seen such a sword.  Many thanks for sharing it with us.

[Conway S]

Thanks for posting, Perry! It's a really cool piece.

 

Conway 

Edited April 12 by Conway S

[Jimny]

Thanks for all the interest in the sword, guess taking a punt on a rough//unusual looking sword sometimes works out ( although how it ever ended up in the UK is a mystery) and I have also made a pile of new washers seeing as the original has started to crumble apart. So if anyone wants any of my spares shoot me a message I suppose.