WW2 1942 Japanese 1944 Pattern Mounted Army Officer’s Sword With Gendaito Blade Double Signed Dated Tang ‘Hiro Gawa Aki Mitsu’, Scabbard & Expert Assessment. Swords

WW2 1942 Japanese 1944 Pattern Mounted Army Officer’s Sword With Gendaito Blade Double Signed Dated Tang ‘Hiro Gawa Aki Mitsu’, Scabbard & Expert Assessment. Sn 19156 - 19156

This sword has been assessed by UK based Japanese sword expert Bill Tagg. His assessment accompanies this piece. In exerts from the assessment he states “A 1944 pattern Army Officer’s sword with Gendaito hand forged blade. Big strong looking signed by ‘Hiro Gawa Aki Mitsu’ a Rikugun Jumei Tosho (army approved smith). He has a good rating in the back of John Slough’s book on swordsmiths 1 million Yen. Real name Hiro Gawa Orie born 1899 lived in Gotenba. Sturdy blade in original old polish with some scratching obscuring any grain. Hamon is Ko (small) Midare in Nie Deki which is heavily scattered along edge of hamon (good sign). Mounted in 1944 pattern Kosherai. Saya iron mounts with thick crackled dark brown lacquer on Honoki wood base, damaged bottom end patches of lacquer missing. Tsuba darkened iron plate. Tsuka is coarse hessian wrapped with dark brown stippled lacquer applied to it. In very good condition but missing original steel screws. Only 1944 pattern swords had metal mekugi for locking sword in tsuka. It is possible to repair the lacquer damage (on saya) this would then be a good addition to any sword collection”. In images of the tang which accompany the assessment, one side has the translated smith signature the reverse has a translation of the markings ‘Made May 1942’. The cutting edge of the blade is just under 26 ¼” length. Total length just under 34 ¾”. Kissaki 33mm. He also identifies a polisher’s mark’. The hilt's locking catch works as it should securely retaining the sword in the scabbard. The price for sword with expert assessment includes UK delivery. Sn 19156

£1,950.00