Early 1883 Pattern Japanese Naval Officer\\\'s Dirk With Suya Sword Shop Tokyo ‘Harp’ Marked Cross Guard & Scabbard Daggers

Early 1883 Pattern Japanese Naval Officer's Dirk With Suya Sword Shop Tokyo ‘Harp’ Marked Cross Guard & Scabbard. Sn 19620 - 19620

This is an early, original 1883 Pattern Japanese Naval Officer's Dirk & Scabbard. These dirks were worn by all commissioned Officers. Towards the end of WW2 they had simulated sharkskin grips made from plastic or composite material and celluloid cross guards. Early examples had Shark skin covered grips and ornate finished fittings (see pages 70-73 of Military Swords Of Japan By Fuller & Gregory). This dirk has the correct early shark skin covered wire bound grip with brass mounts & recurving cross guard (one side of the hilt’s skin covering has an old stable and secure split which can be seen in the images). The pommel cap and both sides of the hilt have Imperial chrysanthemum ‘Mon’ devices. The cross guard has a crisp inspection stamp the same as found on a naval dirk illustrated on page 73 plate 97 of Fuller & Gregory’s book which is the Suya Sword Shop Tokyo ‘harp’ mark, see page 185 Fig 15-1 (i) of Dawson’s book ‘Swords Of Imperial Japan)’. It has a clean 8 ¾” single edged blade with fullers. It measures 13” overall and the hilt is slotted for retaining lug which is mounted on its scabbard. The polished Ray skin bound wood scabbard has brass mounts embossed with prunus blossoms. Each side throat mount has brass hanging rings. The upper mount of the scabbard has the correct press button retaining lug. The price for this Japanese Naval piece includes UK delivery. Sn 19620

£895.00