EXTREMELY RARE, ONE OF ONLY APPROX 6000**Original, Pre WW2 Japanese NCO\'s 1st Pattern, Type 95 Katana With Solid Copper Hilt, Suya (Harp) & Tokyo Kokura Arsenal Marks & 2nd Pattern Scabbard Swords

**EXTREMELY RARE, ONE OF ONLY APPROX 6000**Original, Pre WW2 Japanese NCO's 1st Pattern, Type 95 Katana With Solid Copper Hilt, Suya (Harp) & Tokyo Kokura Arsenal Marks & 2nd Pattern Scabbard. Sn 20649 - 20649

On September 16th 1935 a new sword was authorised for Japanese army NCo’s. 1st type sword hilts were made from solid unpainted copper, later variants had cast alloy painted hilts (see page 183 of Swords Of Imperial Japan 1868-1945 by Dawson). Only approx. 6,000 1st type copper hilt NCO swords were made before introduction of alloy hilt variants. This is an original extremely rare 1st type pre WW2 Japanese NCO's Katana with copper hilt and scabbard. The sword has the correct solid copper unpainted cast handle with lanyard ring hole fitted with steel cord loop, quality heavy brass tsuba and scabbard retaining clip which functions as it should. It has an undamaged, fullered, 27 ½” blade which has just light staining consistent with age. The blade is numbered ‘6321’ on one side above the fuller. The copper hilt is stamped with 1929-45 Kokura Arsenal mark, Suya sword shop (Harp) mark (see page 185 of Dawson’s book) and inspection mark. It is complete with its original 2nd pattern scabbard which has a single hanging ring. The scabbard has no damage or dents. The throat of the scabbard is numbered ‘7199’ which is in relatively close number sequence to the sword indicating that this was one of the last 1st types to be made in the transitional period when the 2nd type NCO’s Katana was being introduced and our example ended up being issued with a 2nd type scabbard, or a mistake in the factory production line resulting in our example being issued with a mis-matching but relatively close numbered scabbard. The price for this nicely marked extremely rare piece includes UK delivery. Sn 20649

£2,450.00