Assess the gunto by mount initially

[Lindus]

We all concentrate on blades and of course so we should. For people coming into this splendid field of collecting they will usually first see a shin gunto{Army}, if they are lucky it will be a Kai gunto {Navy}.

 

One or two hints as to the potential quality of the blade within.

 

Look at the saya. If it has a combat cover you may see a cut out section for a kurikata, this may well be good news as the blade is likely to be a family heirloom. Even if not check out the koi guchi {mouth of the saya},this if lacquered could well lead you into an interesting find.

Look at the Tsuka{Hilt}, has it good quality mounts,eg,copper with indents similar to Nanako,a Mon { Japanese Family/clan crest} this is usually on the Kabuto gane {Relicate of a Japanese helmit} but will also be seen on the Menuki or as rarely seen the Fuchi.

Same'e, Ray skin that wraps the Tsuka {Hilt}, those with large nodules are most prised although these are sometimes faked {See the Book of Sam'e}. Good Ray skin is also a lead towards something special. On occasions you will find replicated Ray skin in a form of plastic, do not be put off by this,the cost of this was estimated to be double the cost of genuine Sam'e and would of course weather much better.

Tsuba, not 100% rule but military Tsuba that have been cut through {Sukashi} along with silver Mon were an added expense,most IJP/INP would not wast money on this unless the blade was precious to them. Sometimes you will find a Civil Tsuba,usually of Iron, again an indicator that the blade is more than average.

Saya, with Kai gunto the lacquered Sam'e saya is generally a good pointer to the quality of the blade inside, having said that I have had plain black lacquer saya with decent blades in. In shin gunto the thing to look out for is lacquered ray or shark skin saya, this is again a pointer to the quality of the Blade. Add toi this that a metal saya with fine quality, even furniture quality, will point you in a good direction.

 

Sarute are not usually an indicator of anything, I have fine old blades from senior officers with plain wire Sarute,

.

 

Rank tassels, these indicate the officer but not the quality of the blade, some generals swords have Mantetsu blades while othes Koto/shinto/shin shinto/Showa.

 

Roy

[Lindus]

Forgot to mention the surrender tags. If you are very luck your Gunto will have a silk or other attachment, do not ignore this as when the sword was surrenderd the IJP/IJN officer thought that it would be returned to him. This tag always has the officers Name/Rank or unit on it.

Rare and historically valuable item.

Roy

[Lindus]

Another....Hangers

If your sword comes with a hanger, check out if it has a colour section, Blue and brow equal a junior officer,Red and brown captain and above while Red/Brown with gold zig zag pattern is General officer Rank.

Roy

[raaay]

Hi RoY

 

You mean like this one, same saya / silver Mon/ red and brown tassel / red and brown hanger

also came with original blue sword bag.

 

Roy, I posted this sword some time back never realy found out much about the smith.

 

I will try and take some better pics and see if i get any more feed back this time around.

 

Ray

[Lindus]

Yes Ray that was a real find,and a true Scots fancy,BIG with GROOVES .

 

Remember the Yorkie/Gregory day with the 100 plus gunto from China???

 

Roy

 

PS, that stand looks familiar?

[pcfarrar]

Here's a top quality gunto I used to own

 

[chrisf]

All well and good advice assuming that everything is original to the sword in question and that it's not been fiddled around with by some enterprising person and also assuming that the multiple contradictions can be clarified.

I've always found it better to assess any sword by looking at the blade first.

[Brian]

Peter,

I have a set of identical koshirae. The original owner didn't want the older blade in Gunto mounts, and since he didn't want to keep them with the sword, I was happy to purchase them. Always thought they must have been quite high end provate purchase. Shagreen saya...can't have been cheap.

 

Brian

[pcfarrar]

I have a set of identical koshirae. The original owner didn't want the older blade in Gunto mounts, and since he didn't want to keep them with the sword, I was happy to purchase them. Always thought they must have been quite high end provate purchase. Shagreen saya...can't have been cheap.

 

Could be the same sword, think it went to someone in Australia eventually. Shame if they have separated the mounts, the blade was papered to Bizen Osafune Moromitsu ca. 1390.

[Lindus]

Way back in the dark ages I remember seeing an article where an Australian collector had his prized gunto blade polished in Japan,in shira saya and also a set of Tachi mounts to match the period of the blade made. He then mounted all three in a display case,what a great idea for presentation as well as preserving it recent history.

 

Wonder if any of the Aussie members recall this or are they all too young to have been around pre internet?.

Roy

[george trotter]

Hi Roy,

I am here in Australia and am certainly pre-internet but don't recall the article...be nice if you could remember the collector's name.

Speaking of assessing the mounts, of course we always go for the blade to assess quality, but a nice same gunto saya lying among a table full of standard shingunto would draw our interest instantly.

I saw a very nicely mounted gunto yesterday...polished same saya just like that above, sukashi gunto tsuba, mon, everything, PLUS, a straightish saya with a strongly "curved up" tsuka, like an old tachi...so I had a look.

Special order gendaito blade, of choji midare and small kissaki.

Here is the oshigata...maybe members would like to have a go at the inscription.

Regards,

oshigata.pdf

[Lindus]

Sorry george cannot remember the mans name,although it was a fewe decades ago it stuck with me as a damn good idea if you had the cash to spare. Also around the same time there was something about swords being examined or polished at the Australian war museum??, will dwell on it and see what the long term memory chucks up.

Roy

[george trotter]

Oh yes, I remember there was a Major Ian Brookes (Brooks - spelling?) who organised a lot of the Australian War Memorial "surrender" swords to be restored in Japan. He also had a sword restored that had been presented to Sir Edgeworth David, for services to the Japanese Antarctic (I think) Expedition of 1911, 1913? or something like that. It was done for Sir Edgeworth's daughter, so Major Brookes seems to have done swords for private individuals as well. The name of the polisher was Kotoken Kajihara I think. Maybe that was the connection to the sword you (almost) remember.

Keep trying.

Regards,

[cabowen]

An early work of Sato Akinori....I have a blade by him that has the most beautiful jigane- you would swear it is a much earlier work. It has fooled many people.....

[george trotter]

Hi Chris,

Yes a nice Akinori....dated Feb 1937. Made to the order of Torinoumi Toshio....it was such a strange name that I had to ask Morita san if it was a slogan about "seabirds" haha.

I agree, a nice shape and workmanship...a little dirty, but would polish well...unfortunately I cannot talk the owner out of it... .

Regards.

[bmoore1322]

I have the chance to buy an really nice WW2 Imperial Japanese Naval Officers Kai-Guntō Sword with an wooden Surrender Tag still attached to the scabbard, Very nice sword, I would post pics of it, but I dont own the sword yet, and I will not post pics of a sword I do not own, or have not bought.

 

If I do end up buying it, I will post pics of it.

 

It's in beautiful condition, gorgeous Hamon , and the blade is flawless, and the Sageo is flawless also.

 

The only markings on the nakago are the Naval stamp, and the scabbard is fully wrapped in rayskin.

 

Brian

[Daniel]

Hi Brian

You know that the naval anchor stamp indicates a non traditional blade, don't you? There's nothing wrong with collecting these blades I'm also interested in Showato as well as Nihonto. But as you mention a gorgeous Hamon I hope you know the difference.

Kind Regards

Daniel

[bmoore1322]

@ Daniel

 

yes I know that, but still love them, as majority of them was made from the steel of a certain famous Japanese ship that was sunk, so I have read in the past, cant think of the name of the ship though right now.

 

Brian

[Daniel]

Maybe you think of the battleship Mikasa but most were in fact made of imported steel such as Swedish railway tracks etcetera.

Daniel

[bmoore1322]

@ Daniel

 

 

Yes, thats the one I was thinking of, I hate it when It's right on the tip of my tongue, and could not get it out.

 

thanks

Brian

[Brian]

Not most of them...almost none of them. There are a very few blades (tanto mainly?) made by a certain smith from that steel. The majority are/were from stainless steel or rust resistant steel.

 

Brian