WW2 Japanese Officer’s Shin Gunto Type 98 Sword With Showa-To Oil Tempered Seki Arsenal Blade Smith Signed Tang ‘FUKO MOTO KANE MUNE’, Scabbard & Expert Assessment. Sn 20768 Swords

WW2 Japanese Officer’s Shin Gunto Type 98 Sword With Showa-To Oil Tempered Seki Arsenal Blade Smith Signed Tang ‘FUKO MOTO KANE MUNE’, Scabbard & Expert Assessment. Sn 20768 - 20768

An original WW2 Japanese type 98 sword with smith signed seki arsenal blade. The sword has been assessed by UK Japanese sword expert Bill Tagg. A copy of his hand written notes and illustrations accompany the sword. In extracts from his notes he states “A type 98 Shin Gunto army Officer’s sword with seki arsenal marked blade, Showa-To oil hardened & clay covered to produce the hamon (typical Mino), which has an edge of nioi crystals produced when the hot blade hits the oil. Looking like a gendai when polished. Grain if any is usually muji hada (pear skin). This is not visible. Blade is bright but has fine scratches and odd finger rust obscuring the forging. Signed by its maker ‘FUKO MOTO (family name) KANE MUNE (art name)’, the son of Fuko Moto Ana Hide, who owned a sword making factory in seki city and made gunto for the army. This smith rated as making low to medium grade shwa-to (see Fuller & Gregory for examples of his oshigata No. 122 & 283. Saya wood with light brown lacquer finish which has been varnished post war with loose ashi ring, missing its leather field cover. Tsuba cast gunto pattern with seppa, some gilt finish left on them. Tsuka later war product., plain wire sarute knot loop. Good fish skin has been properly rebound with black ito wrap post war. A good display piece”. In his illustrations of the tang and blade he describes the cutting edge of the blade length as 66 cm & full length as just under 86 cm. He also translates the tang signature and describes other blade characteristics and dimensions (illustrated in image 2). The price includes UK delivery. Sn 20768

£1,275.00