Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. Acquired directly from a collector, this is an excellent condition rare 1937 Pattern Kai-Gunto Naval Officer katana, with an even rarer handmade blade. This particular example has the higher grade 1937 Pattern fittings with the sharkskin wrapped scabbard, indicating this may have been made for a front line naval officers. This fact makes finding them difficult, as often they would be lost with the ship the officer was stationed on. Due to the salt spray involved, many of these swords were fitted with machine-made stainless steel blades, but this particular example has a genuine traditionally made folded steel blade, with a beautiful undulating temper line!
The blade is handmade and expertly crafted by a master sword maker due to a few tell tale characteristics that include:
- Single-hole tang.
- Tang is signed by the maker on the blade in lacquer.
- Hole in the tang is punch and not drilled.
- Folded steel blade (fold lines are evident on the spine and body of blade)
- Visible temper line ("hamon").
- Clear grain (hada) on the blade, with lamination lines visible.
Offered in very good condition with some areas of light staining, it is still sharp and has no major chips in the edge. Overall the polish on the blade is good, though there is some removed corrosion on one side of the blade, which unfortunately has obscured the temper line. There is also some light corrosion throughout, probably due to naval service. Blade length is 23 inches, with an overall length of 34 inches. Handmade blade signed semi round tang. Temper line (hamon) is visible, and is of the NOTARE, or wave type. Probably one of the most attractive temper lines we have seen recently. Grain on blade is visible, along with some blade inclusions typically seen in handmade blades.
Heavy brass tsuba (cross guard) with gold highlighted menuki (grip decoration), and a nice gold highlighted Kashira (End Cap), bamboo securing peg still present. The Seppa (spacers) around the tsuba are large and highly stylized. Excellent ray skin Sa-Me (grip) with complete olive-colored Ito (cloth binding) with fine decorative collar. Condition of the blade, scabbard and fittings is superb, indicating light use.
The Wood scabbard is wrapped in lacquered sharkskin, and has brass copper and gold highlights. Two hanging loops are present, and the condition is very good, with a few significant dents and splitting of the sharkskin.
It has been over one thousand years ago that the art of making swords appeared in Japan. The swordsmiths of the time may not have known it but they were creating a legendary sword. The Samurai sword has seen combat in many battlefields. From the early days of the Samurai warrior to the fierce battles in the South Pacific during WWII.
Each hand-made Samurai sword is unique because it is forged from steel stock. A tremendous amount of work is dedicated to creating these pieces. They were an instrument of war as much as a beautiful artifact to adorn a room.
The Samurai sword has grown to be one of the most highly desired military antiques.
- This product is available for international shipping.
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