Help Identifying WWII Japanese Sword

R

RedOctober2897

Joined
Aug 12, 2012
Messages
10
So my dad happened to rediscover today a japanese sword from WWII. As he tells it my great uncle picked it up off the corpse of a japanese officer somewhere in SEA. I'd like to know some more about it. It wears a wood and leather sheath with one ring towards the hilt. There are no markings anywhere on the blade. The hilt is wrapped with a black material. The hilt itself is wood encasing some sort of white fish or eel skin with metallic fish ornaments. There is no pommel. I can provide pictures if necessary.
 
RedOctober2897 said:
So my dad happened to rediscover today a japanese sword from WWII. As he tells it my great uncle picked it up off the corpse of a japanese officer somewhere in SEA. I'd like to know some more about it. It wears a wood and leather sheath with one ring towards the hilt. There are no markings anywhere on the blade. The hilt is wrapped with a black material. The hilt itself is wood encasing some sort of white fish or eel skin with metallic fish ornaments. There is no pommel. I can provide pictures if necessary.
Click to expand...

It's necessary.
 
Certainly a genuine sword from what can be seen but for proper identification you'll need better pictures.
For an idea of what you'll need to show, plus a wealth of info on care and handling, check out this site - http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/

Your sword has a military WW2 scabbard(saya) and your family provenance dates the sword to the war but it is possible the blade is much older as blades from all periods have been found in military mounts.

Your missing pommel is known as a 'kashira'. It is made as a set along with the fuchi which is the collar around the top of the hilt(tsuka) so it's a shame that it is missing. It is not uncommon to see buffalo horn kashira so it can be repaired.
Here's a couple of links to similar fuchi kashira - http://www.aoijapan.com/fuchi-kashi...unsignedmino-goto-school-on-the-syakudo-plate
http://www.aoijapan.com/fuchikashira-mei-signature-mumei-on-the-syakudo-plate
 
RedOctober2897 said:
What specific pictures would you like to see?
Click to expand...

Japanese swords that are "named" will have the makers mark under the handle. It doesn't need to be "unwrapped". There is a pin further up the handle that pins it to the tang. (it looks like you may find it after the first three handle wraps) If this pin comes out, you may slide the handle off and reveal the signature on the tang.
 
Ok so there isn't a pin, apparently it was removed after my uncle heard that Japanese family jewels were kept in Katana handles... I tried to remove the blade from the hilt but it only gives a little and then it won't budge. Should I use more force? Also can you point me in the direction of someone who can carve me a fish motif buffalo horn kashira?
 
Last edited:
If there is no pin then the handle is held on by friction.

"Fish motif kashira" - the kashira is a match with the fuchi, not the fish menuki. If you take the time to google these terms and do some simple research, you'll see what needs to be done.
 
I understand your confusion. While the sword does have a fish menuki and a pair of crabs menuki, it also has a fuchi with fish on it.
 
Hello everyone. I too have a Japanese sword that was handed down to me. It was brought back from WW2, and was kept in my Grandfather's basement and not taken care of. The scabbard rotted away as well as the handle. My dad saved all the pieces and tried to clean up the blade some (we now know that was a mistake). He told me when he was a boy and the sword was in good shape that it also had a small knife w/scabbard attached to the sword scabbard. Over the years, the small knife was lost. The blade on the sword is still razor sharp and has never been sharpened. My dad put a piece of masking tape over the blade to protect it (and anyone handling it because it was so sharp).

I will attach some pictures. I am told the writing on the tang may tell who the maker of the sword is. We have no idea about the history and would like to know if anyone can help.

P1020190_zps2857cf50.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
IMG_9324_zps3a07bd82.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
IMG_9322_zps3e8bd765.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Post this in Bernard Levine's Identification area. They should be able to help with identification much better than general discussion. The Menuki are amazing.
 
I've posted it on the other forum and a few members have identified it as a possible Yamato-Daijo Fujiwara Masanori(大和大掾藤原正則). Depending on what generation, it might be as old as late 1600's. I've looked at the signature and with my untrained eye it looks very similar. Its possible it might be a forgery. I won't know until I have the blade examined.
 
RedOctober2897 said:
View attachment 357218View attachment 357219View attachment 357220View attachment 357221View attachment 357222
Click to expand...

I have no idea what I am doing. I was interested in you question way back in 2012 2013 about having a blade with no markings. My father also brought a sword back from SEA after the war. It has no markings and was in a wooden scabbard with a leather cover. The handle is missing and the scabbard is in very poor condition. it appears to be similar to the picture of yours. Have you any info to pass on.

Paul
 
Get some mineral oil on that ASAP (only on the blade though, do not do anything with the tang). Authentic Japanese swords rust like crazy.
Also do your best to avoid touching the blade, and if you do, make sure to clean it off and reapply oil.

Finally, whatever you do, do not try to clean any of the rust, or try any polishing, yourself!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top