Japanese Type 3 IJA Shin Gunto

[DaveR]

If you collect, or lurk on the forums for, "ethnic" swords the problem is even worse. We have "shamshir's, kaskara's, kiij" and a variety of other names, but when asked the locals where these were used say they call them a "Saif" which is the generic Arabic word for sword. I think us collectors often inherit a nomenclature from the original collectors and writers, and to a certain extent are stuck with it.
In the case of Shin-Gunto it is not that long ago that they were dismissed as junk unworthy of serious research. Has this changed because of the passage of time, WW2 is no longer "Dads War" but history. Is the interest driven by the rise in price, or vice versa. Either way, it is very satisfying that the research is now being done, and on my part, many thanks to Mr Komiya..... I don't know who else could have written this particular article.

[Geoff Ward]

I suspect as with anything else, there were comments made in jest to torment your comrades who did not have the funds or opportunity to purchase a higher end sword.
I suspect the Rinji Seishiki Gunto were viewed as a poor mans sword by the older guard.??

[BOB COLEMAN]

I suspect as with anything else, there were comments made in jest to torment your comrades who did not have the funds or opportunity to purchase a higher end sword.
I suspect the Rinji Seishiki Gunto were viewed as a poor mans sword by the older guard.??

I doubt that would be the case as it would be very unlike the Japanese persona. There certainly was nothing wrong with the hand forged blades found in these type mounts with the lacquered wood saya and lacquered grips.

[Nick Komiya]

Rinji Seishiki for officers was different from those B-spec issue items like aluminum badges and felt caps. For issue items, they could be outright poorman's versions and still be imposed upon the soldier, as it was an issue item without choice.

However, it was more difficult with officer's items, as they had to get officers to buy the Rinji Seishiki Gunto. So they had to put a positive spin on a poorman's item by calling it the true combat sword.

Officers had 3 choices, either to buy a Type 98 which was being priced out of reach of many officers, or buy the affordably priced Rinji Seishiki sword or you could simply rent a NCO sword. It became like cigarette marketing. The Rinji Seishiki sword borrowed the Sengoku warrior image much in the same way as the Marlboro Man evoked rugged manliness.

In order to sell, the army could not allow the sword to be perceived as an inferior stop gap measure, so they even acted like they were considering it as an official type in the future by saying in the 1941 press conference "we'll see how it does in the field and decide later whether or not to make it an official model." So on the surface it was supposed to have the same status as the Type 98, but only with different product emphasis.

Astute officers would have seen through the ploy, but the true motive was never made public, so that those having the poor man's version might have been made fun of as playing 16th century Samurai four centuries too late, but not because of being forced to choose below standard.

I wanted to provide a link to this thread in my original Type 3 myth article, but realized that the article was closed not to allow any additions. I would appreciate it if a moderator could add that link for me.

[Nacogdochian]

Another of my son’s Japanese swords: A so-called WW2 "Naval Landing Forces" officer's sword, with a hand-forged blade:
A translation of the original description which was in kanji:
“Cutting edge: 63cm
Sori: 1.7cm Jigane: Ko-itame and There is jinie and chikei in jigane.
Hamon: Saka-choji and Very good. Boshi: Komaru Era: Showa 18 yeras (AD 1943)
Signature: Zuiho saku; Reverse side: Mizunoe Hitusji Jyuichi gatsu.
Koshirae: There is SAN SHIKI GUNTO koshirae (Original koshirae).
Note: Another smith name of Zuiho is Shigefusa. And Real name is Kojima Kameta. He lived in Tokushima prefecture. He taught smith students of 5 persons. This sword is imitation of ichi-monji school of the Kamakura period.”
Has the original field-grade red/brown tassel and hanger attached. One collector opined that these were later additions, but in any case both are original to the period.
The sword has NTHK authentication papers. Officially designated as "Rinji Seishiki Gunto". This sword came directly out of Japan into my son’s collection several years ago.

I note that some pics are uploading upside down, but as a newbie, I do not know how to remedy this. The order of the pictures also is somewhat random, another problem that I cannot fix.

[Nick Komiya]

Are you in the process of transferring your collection to your son or something like that? How come it's always Dad showing the son's collection? Thanks anyway for not spreading the Type 3 Naval Landing Forces Sword nonsense.

[MAP]

Another of my son’s Japanese swords: A so-called WW2 "Naval Landing Forces" officer's sword, with a hand-forged blade:
A translation of the original description which was in kanji:
“Cutting edge: 63cm
Sori: 1.7cm Jigane: Ko-itame and There is jinie and chikei in jigane.
Hamon: Saka-choji and Very good. Boshi: Komaru Era: Showa 18 yeras (AD 1943)
Signature: Zuiho saku; Reverse side: Mizunoe Hitusji Jyuichi gatsu.
Koshirae: There is SAN SHIKI GUNTO koshirae (Original koshirae).
Note: Another smith name of Zuiho is Shigefusa. And Real name is Kojima Kameta. He lived in Tokushima prefecture. He taught smith students of 5 persons. This sword is imitation of ichi-monji school of the Kamakura period.”
Has the original field-grade red/brown tassel and hanger attached. One collector opined that these were later additions, but in any case both are original to the period.
The sword has NTHK authentication papers. Officially designated as "Rinji Seishiki Gunto". This sword came directly out of Japan into my son’s collection several years ago.

I note that some pics are uploading upside down, but as a newbie, I do not know how to remedy this. The order of the pictures also is somewhat random, another problem that I cannot fix.

I'm not a sword geek, just owning a few example to round out the collection. But I do enjoy looking at the fine examples you have been showing

[Nacogdochian]

Are you in the process of transferring your collection to your son or something like that? How come it's always Dad showing the son's collection? Thanks anyway for not spreading the Type 3 Naval Landing Forces Sword nonsense.

No,the swords are his, unlike myself (retired) he does not have the time to post his collection, so after noticing several threads that I thought that would benefit from including parts of his collection I took action. He has MANY more, but most are housed within civilian koshirae, but all are old family blades. I will only post the military examples in this venue.

[MAP]

No,the swords are his, unlike myself (retired) he does not have the time to post his collection, so after noticing several threads that I thought that would benefit from including parts of his collection I took action. He has MANY more, but most are housed within civilian koshirae, but all are old family blades. I will only post the military examples in this venue.

I do love your Avatar photo something I've always wanted but probably will never own

[Nacogdochian]

I do love your Avatar photo something I've always wanted but probably will never own

I owned this one many years ago, and allowed myself to be talked into trading it away. I regret this almost daily. I often wonder where it now resides.

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I do love your Avatar photo something I've always wanted but probably will never own

I owned this one many years ago, and allowed myself to be talked into trading it away. I regret this almost daily. I often wonder where it now resides.