Japanese sword question

**ncblksmth1** · 08-24-2010, 06:36 PM

Did the Japanese aristocracy have children sized Katanas or other swords made for the kids?

Anybody know where I can get more info on this subject?

I picked this up just yesterday and the gent who sold it to me said his father had it in a trunk with other items from his tour in the west. He had never seen it before. I paid 20$ for it. Take a look at the photos let me know your opinions. Junk, real, bone, ivory, horn, plastic, micarta, old, new just let me know your opinions.

**gooseandspoons** · 08-24-2010, 06:42 PM

imo it looks old, i dont believe its a childrens sword, just a short katana. i think they came in different sizes. lets see what someone else thinks. missing some stuff though

**ncblksmth1** · 08-24-2010, 07:26 PM

Yep its missing both end caps and maybe a piece of the middle. I dont know if there is supposed to be a Tsuba. Oh well here it is. The blade looks cheaply and badly made. The tang is typical washizaki tang but there is not markings on it anywhere I can see.

Bob

**lew07** · 08-24-2010, 07:59 PM

Hi I think they may be Chinese circa 1900 or a little earlier.The reason I say this is because I have two very similar swords (they are not a pair).My Grand father was in the Royal Navy and gave them to my late Father who in turn gave them to me.Mine seem to be rather fragile and incredibly like yours.Ive always been of the opinion that they were made for early Victorian tourists to China!!

**lew07** · 08-26-2010, 05:31 PM

Hi had to get my swords out and have a look...just like yours.Mine have a coloured cord with a tassell on the metal fitting that has a ring in your photo.Even have the same decoration on metal fittings!!

**tampalam** · 08-26-2010, 05:42 PM

I had one like this as a kid given to me by a friend's father. I lost it over the years and never figured out what it was. Mine came apart in about 6 pieces and also looked cheaply made. I was told that it was a typical souvenir for tourists and sailors in the orient in the early 20th century.

**BOB COLEMAN** · 09-01-2010, 01:12 AM

The sword is typical of the type made for tourist trade in the late 19th and early 20th century. Samurai of means had miniature daisho made for their sons. In many occasions, when the child became man, he would mount his boyhood katana as his adult wakizashi. The child's swords were mounted in typical samurai mounts except smaller.

**clarksvillestamps** · 09-01-2010, 01:48 AM

by BOB COLEMAN

The sword is typical of the type made for tourist trade in the late 19th and early 20th century. Samurai of means had miniature daisho made for their sons. In many occasions, when the child became man, he would mount his boyhood katana as his adult wakizashi. The child's swords were mounted in typical samurai mounts except smaller.

dead on! even the childrens blades were "live" blades

first thing that hit me, is that it is not a "live" blade. that is to say it is not a sharpened blade or even one that is meant for use.
it appears to be made from some extremely high carbon low grade alloy. it also looks to be very roughly finished, not something you would see in a class blade.
the saya (scabbard) and tsuka (handle) are bone if you look at them, they do appear to be made from multiple pieces of bone fitted together.

all the same not a bad looking bit of carving, and as it is probably meiji era (late 19th, early 20th century) for 20$ it's a nice little antique wall hanger.
-sean