Reproduction NCO Sword

**dunit35** · 06-25-2017, 02:15 PM

I bought an NCO Sword yesterday that I feel confident is not real. Seller told me he bought it from a WWII vet estate. I'm always concerned about buying fakes but I did it anyways. I feel pretty dumb right now.

My big concern (after reading the sticky with the information) is that there is no marking next to the serial number and only two markings on that handle area.

Would anyone like to confirm this for me?

**dunit35** · 06-25-2017, 02:20 PM

I know I'm out of luck on it but I'd still like to call the seller out on it, if it is in fact, fake.

**dunit35** · 06-25-2017, 05:11 PM

I took a few more photos for additional information.

I'm feeling pretty confident that this is a reproduction.

**Bruce Pennington** · 06-25-2017, 05:15 PM

Sorry to say, but your gut was telling the truth. Good eye on the stamp issue. The fakes are getting very good these days. The 4 cannon-ball stamp is close, but the other stamp is totally made up. They are too far apart, and like you say, there should be an inspector stamp in the middle. On the blade, the serial number is upside down like a Nagaya Arsenal blade, but the Na stamp is missing (Nagaya blades have notoriously hard to see stamps by the number, though).

Other signs - the seppa (spacing washer) is poorly made, and the tsuba (handguard) has metal flaws that aren't normal for a real Type 95. This one has a rivet/bolt in the handle, whereas a real 95 has a sloted nut/bolt combination. You didn't show a pic of the blade tip, but they ususally get that wrong too.

It's good enough for a wall hanger decoration, hope you didn't spend a lot on it! BTW I have my own faked officer gunto that I bought early in my collecting career sitting in my basement!

**dunit35** · 06-25-2017, 05:56 PM

Thanks. I contacted the seller and he seemed real honest. Apologized several times and told me not to pay for it.

We originally agreed for me to mail him a money order, as my atm wouldn't let me get anymore money out.

He said he did not know it was a fake. We'll be meeting to exchange the item.

**dunit35** · 06-25-2017, 07:20 PM

Look at this on eBay World War 2 Japanese NCO sword | eBay

Would you happen to know much about this one? Now, I'm really dying to find a real one.

**MAP** · 06-25-2017, 07:54 PM

Welcome again Dunit. I see you are putting the information found on the forum to good use. And as you are still learning....I have uploaded the photos for you (links and photo hosting sites are discouraged).

Another topic we don't discuss is monetary evaluations (not that you asked

). We are a collector forum and are happy to evaluate items for authenticity. But typically don't talk about prices.

We always say patience (and prior vetting) is a virtue. This one on ebay looks to stand a chance (wait for the experts view). But never rush. These were heavily produced items, so take your time ( If this one turns out to be a dud or too expensive) , it will be worth it.

**Bruce Pennington** · 06-25-2017, 08:23 PM

Dunit (please share a first name so we can converse with each other),
That's a real nice one! It's got the contractor stamp we call the "Ichi" stamp. It's legit, but even the big experts don't know the company that used it.

They don't show the saya serial number, so maybe it doesn't have matching numbers. It's nice if they match, but it doesn't detract from its collectibility. Both the scabbard (saya) and sword are real and in very good shape.

**MAP** · 06-25-2017, 08:42 PM

by Bruce Pennington

Dunit (please share a first name so we can converse with each other),
That's a real nice one! It's got the contractor stamp we call the "Ichi" stamp. It's legit, but even the big experts don't know the company that used it.

They don't show the saya serial number, so maybe it doesn't have matching numbers. It's nice if they match, but it doesn't detract from its collectibility. Both the scabbard (saya) and sword are real and in very good shape.

Looks like it was defaced...and picture is blury so I would assume it is non matching. I would think however that a matching set would be of more value than non matching

**Bruce Pennington** · 06-25-2017, 09:38 PM

This was a practice at the repair sites in the early years for Type 32 swords. They would file off the non-matching number and re-stamp a matching number, but the filing job was cleaner than this. Kind of looks like someone post-war filed the number off to avoid the non-matching number complaint from future buyers; but that's just speculation.