Japanese dress bayonet?

[paladin1919]

For your consideration I present this chromed Arisaka bayonet. The makers marks and accountability number look correct to me, so I think this is authentic. BUt I have never seen a chromed one before. The question I pose to anyone who likes to ponder such things is did the Japanese have parade or dress bayonets? I would have guessed 'no' but then I came across this piece. I have not been able to find anything in the literature I possess to confirm this.

Another theory is that perhaps a US serviceman chromed the bayonet as a war trophy?

Any thoughts gentleman?

Pal

[Espiteri]

That looks like a japanese Arisaka bayonet in very nice condition. But I could be wrong on the rifle type, i know its japanese though

[zwerge]

My opinion is that it was done postwar as a trophy souvinier,I have a German combat bayonet done the same way....Pete.

[relicz]

Agree with Pete.

[lithgow]

What he wrote...

[paladin1919]

I believe that makes it a consensus. Post war chrome job it is.

[BOB COLEMAN]

Many years ago, I purchased a similar bayonet directly from a veteran. The piece had been stored poorly and rust had eaten through 90% of the chrome finish on the bayonet and about 25% of the scabbard. He related to me that he had gotten the piece from a pile of surrendered weapons from an elite guard unit who marched in to surrender in Korea all wearing identical bayonets. I had no reason to doubt the man and the deterioration was similar to that I have seen on period Japanese sword scabbards. Back in the 1960's, I bought several Japanese swords from a veteran. Among them was a standard shingunto officer sword with a chrome scabbard. It is my belief that these items were worn by an elite guard unit that guarded either government buildings or important shrines. I know for a fact that neither piece I owned was post war meddled with. I think this is another case of mistaking I have never seen this therefore it must be fake.

[relicz]

An old thread on the subject.
Chromuim/Nickel Plated Arisaka Bayonets - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

Still a lot of speculation and no period pictures as of yet. In this digital age perhaps one will surface some day, but I wouldn't hold my breath till it does. But stranger things have happened.

[paladin1919]

Thanks for all your commentary. A very interesting discussion.

I bought the bayonet thinking it was likely altered post war. In fact that's what the seller suggested and he knocked a few bucks off because of that. But thanks to Bob I now have doubt....and the bayonet has become that much cooler.

Maybe the truth lies in-between, as with most questions in life. I don't doubt that some were likely chromed post war as trophies but it sounds plausible that some might have been issued too.

[lithgow]

The screws that hold the grips on to the bayo show evidence of having been removed-note they are not aligned-British parade P07s are issued blunt as there is no need for them to be sharpened and it can only cause problems if they are sharp.