Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original late WWII Japanese Army Type 95 NCO sword with the simplified wooden “pineapple” pattern grip, plain machine made blade without fuller, black painted iron fittings, and matching serial numbered scabbard. Serial number 213034 is present on both the blade and scabbard throat, making this a particularly desirable matching late war example.

The end of WWII marked the beginning of the sword ownership ban in Japan. By law, Japanese citizens were forbidden to own swords. General McArthur did not want the general population to be able to arm again. Most soldiers and citizens surrendered their swords to the American occupying forces. The Americans destroyed a large number of swords by dumping them into the ocean or by melting them. But a small percentage made its way back to the United States and into the collector market.

This lovely example is a genuine late WWII Japanese Type 95 NCO Sword or katana, produced during the end of the war around 1945. At this time, to save aluminum, the design switched to a simple wooden hilt grip with incised cross-hatching, often called a "pineapple" grip. The mounts were changed to black painted iron, with the securing spring moved to the side, an a new design steel scabbard to match. To further decrease production time, the fuller from the machine made blade was removed. The blade is 26 3/8 inches long, with an overall length of 37 1/2 inches. NCO Katanas were issued to soldiers who did not want to take their family sword to battle or who came from poor families that did not have swords to pass down through the generations.

All NCO swords were numbered. This example has a matching serial number 213034 on both the blade and the throat of the scabbard. Most swords do not have matching numbers because somewhere along the life of the sword the scabbard was changed. The serial numbers both have a faint partial arsenal stamp that looks like 名, for Nagoya Arsenal. Sometimes we see additional markings on the FUCHI ferrule where the grip meets the crossguard, however this one is unmarked.

The sword is complete with the metal locking spring tab on the left side of the grip that secures the blade to the scabbard. This prevents the sword from falling when the soldier is running. Traditionally this function is assigned to the Habaki (blade collar). But machine made swords like this one do not have the accuracy of manufacturing that enable the Habaki to perform such a function.

Condition is very good, with a lovely aged patina overall. The blade definitely shows use in service, and has signs of past cleaning and possibly sharpening, giving it a great broken-in look. There are some signs of past oxidation, and also the edge is quite rough on the last third, showing a lot of nicks, dents, and other wear from service and sharpening. The wood handled grip is in good condition, with the original finish well retained, though it has split down the middle through the securing screws on both sides. The cross-hatched pattern is still fully retained. The handle is still tight on the blade, though the TSUBA crossguard and SEPPA spacers are loose.

The scabbard is in very good condition, still retaining about 40% of the original olive brown paint, showing wear and areas of oxidation where the paint has worn off. The fit and finish are definitely below the earlier type of NCO sword, making this a true 'last ditch' example, as all "pineapple grip" examples were. We can see machining and milling marks at the seam, and the geometry is overall rougher than early war examples are. The drag is for some reason painted green.

With its matching serial number 213034, late war wood “pineapple” grip, plain unfullered blade, side mounted locking spring, simplified iron fittings, and matching scabbard, this is a compelling example of the final production phase of the Type 95 NCO sword. The split grip, loose tsuba and seppa, worn and possibly sharpened blade, edge nicks and dents, oxidation, and approximately 40% surviving scabbard paint are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in a late WWII Japanese Army, Type 95 NCO sword, Nagoya Arsenal, or advanced Japanese military edged weapon collection.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 26 3/8"
Blade Style: Katana
Overall length: 37 1/2“
Scabbard Length: 28 7/8"