SCARCE**MAN TETSU SWORD COMPANY DOUBLE SIGNED KOA ISSHIN MANTETSU (Respectfully Made) BLADE*WW2 Japanese Officer's Gendaito Katana Sword Officer’s Rank Tassel, Scabbard With Leather Combat Cover & Expert Assessment. ED 3018 Sword

**SCARCE**MAN TETSU SWORD COMPANY DOUBLE SIGNED KOA ISSHIN MANTETSU (Respectfully Made) BLADE*WW2 Japanese Officer's Gendaito Katana Sword Officer’s Rank Tassel, Scabbard With Leather Combat Cover & Expert Assessment. ED 3018 - ED 3018

A scarce original WW2 Japanese Officer's Company made Sword with signed tang and scabbard. 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 scarce example of a company produced sword not signed by a swordsmith. A Koa Isshin Man Tetsu (Respectfully Made) see John Slough’s book Modern Japanese Swordsmiths 1868-1945 page Numbers 94,95,96, 3 pages of information on these swords. 2 types were made Medium to Superior Grade Show-To and Medium to High grade Gendaito. This is bright with old rust at point. You can see vague nioi hamon. I class them as basic Gendaito, lots of handwork. The best ones were made in Japan 1st produced for the Manchurian army in occupied China in 1937. Originally made in the Diaren Railway factory after 1937 for the Canton Army. Well balanced & very good nakago tang, lovely well cut kanji. Saya gunto parade steel with green army paint covered with very good condition & good quality leather combat cover. Copper blade collar habaki with big heavy pierced brass tsuba & one seppa. Tsuka hilt all original, locking catch & sarute knot loop with ¾ of original Lieutenant To Captain rank tassel (worn). Binding & Ray skin intact but dirty. A good example of a Koa Isshin Mantetsu sword. Needs a polish to look superb”. In his illustrations Bill translates the tang Kanji. One side War slogan ‘Develop Asia By One Mind’ and ‘Man Tetsu Company Made This’. The reverse Junish & Zodiac dates? And Autmn (date not translated). The spine of the blade marks are translated as ‘2744 Showa’. He measures the cutting edge as just under 67 cms, total length 88 cms and describes other blade and tang measurements & characteristics which can be seen in image 2. The price includes UK delivery. This sword is worthy of further research and is Sold as seen. ED 3018

£1,875.00