Another Japanese Sword ID Please

[Bruce Pennington]

s,
(can we have a name to talk to, please?)

There are over 65 pages on WWII Japanese swords here: Army commissioned officers Shin-GuntM 1934 (Type 94 GuntM)
He has great pictures of regulation Army and Navy fittings, along with some pages of civilian swords outfitted for the war effort.

Pre-regulation fittings varied greatly. Regulations were set when Japan began Westernizing their forces in the late 1800s. This sword has mostly regulation fittings, but even those varied a bit. The "combat saya" were usually covered with all-leather, but some, like this one, had fabric/leather mix.

If you are interested in knowing more about these, I highly recommend Ohmura's site at the link above.

[Type4]

If you like an generic katana you can buy any you see, but if you like have an original officer katana, make following the specifications required by the regulations, you need buy one like this 3 in the picture
this book can help you in many questions
Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868 - 1945: Jim Dawson: 9780971912724: Amazon.com: Books

[sdickson]

My name is Scott Dickson from middle Tennessee. Thanks for the help. If I decide to get one it will probably be this one. I don't know enough about them to spend a lot of time researching and just want a decent one that is as original as possible. My thing is mainly the WWII guns.

[Sporter90]

Whether you buy it or not, it is up to you, but consider yourself lucky to find a sword like this one. It's my opinion, this will be a prefect first sword, or the only Japanese sword in someone's collection. I'll expand on Bruce Pennington's early comment, that this sword is unique enough to have its own personality. You will not find another one like it.

[DaveR]

There is always some one who will say you can get a better one, and this is true, but when will you get it, and what will it cost. You are unlikely to lose money on this at the price quoted.

[Mathieu C]

We learned from Nick's research that Gunzoku from Hannin level were entitled to bought army officier gunto.

So even a regulation gunto, in full type 98 koshirae, metal saya, etc, could have belonged to a civilian employee in the army.

In my understanding a gunto with such simple koshirae is as good as a regulation one for an officer impression.

Unless your gunto have a military rank inscribed on it, there will always be a chance his original owner was a civilian. It's not less desirable. It did his duty and remains a piece of military History.

When you buy a French Legion of Honour, it could have benn presented to a war hero or a singer. This is the same medal anyway !