MINT**WW2 Kai Gunto Japanese Navy Officer’s Tachi Sword With Tai Sabi Ko Stainless Steel Blade Smith Signed ‘MITSU NAGA SAKU’ & Toyokowa Naval Arsenal Anchor Mark, Scarce Scabbard & Expert Assessment. Sn 21448 Swords

**MINT**WW2 Kai Gunto Japanese Navy Officer’s Tachi Sword With Tai Sabi Ko Stainless Steel Blade Smith Signed ‘MITSU NAGA SAKU’ & Toyokowa Naval Arsenal Anchor Mark, Scarce Scabbard & Expert Assessment. Sn 21448 - 21448

This sword has been assessed by a UK based Japanese sword expert Bill Tagg. His assessment accompanies this piece. In exerts from the assessment he states “Kai Gunto Navy officer’s tachi with a type of Tai Sabi Ko stainless steel blade developed for the Navy, made in the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal. Tachi swords have 2 ring hangers. This is late war after 1943. Signed by an obscure smith ‘Mitsu Naga Saku (made this). Only a couple of mentions of him, real name Noguchi Heiichi, born 1918 worked as a gunto smith see Markus Sesko book on smiths page 135. Also in Fuller & Gregory books. In practically mint condition. Saya has scarce black leather cover over honoki wood. Saya has been wrapped in sacking then black lacquered, a hard item to find now. Tsuba is steel, oval shaped blackened with 2 small seppa, not O seppa with sunrays found on earlier swords. Tsuka late war quality, blackened steel mounts & menuki. Wood wrapped in sacking and painted black simulating fish skin. A flat Navy wrapped ito (cotton). Very good condition and a good example of its type”. In his illustrations he translates the Smith signature as above and identities the navy arsenal mark and notes Arsenal assembly ink marks. He describes the cutting edge length as 63 cms and the overall length as 84.5 cms. He also describes other blade characteristics and measurements which can be read in the images. The price for this nicely marked Japanese WW2 Naval Officer’s sword with expert assessment includes UK delivery. Sn 21448

£1,375.00