Sword ID Help Please

[tomdavis2000]

Awesome, thanks everyone for the help

[oldartefact]

For that to end up in a river it's a possibility that it was used in crime and thrown in to get rid of it...Just a thought

Hopefully not a de-capitation?? B-)

[lewscope79]

Japanese maybe ww2 bringback.I can make out the chrysanthemum I think.although they are copied today .Blade maybe old and hand forged and put into WW2 mountings

[fred]

I saw the crysanthumum type design but most Japanese samurai swords are two handed jobs and the handle on that one doesn't look long enough to me. If it is Japanese then it is more likely to be a Kai Gunto, which is a military sword from after the Samurai were banned. The fact that the handle is missing isn't surprising as they were designed to be separable.

I think that the original idea of sending it to a proper expert was a good one.

[bob the diggerer]

Great find,
Looks like a Japanese sword, I watched a TV documentary about the Japanese being forced to hand over there family swords to the Allies,mainly Americans, after the surrender, as they were not allowed weapons I think. The Japanese protested as some were very ancient family heirlooms, but it made no difference, and all were ordered to be handed in to be destroyed, many dumped at sea.

There were some particular swords, that were handed in that would be priceless today, and the Japanese even today are hoping not all were destroyed, and that one of these, a legendary sword still exists. I think some even hid the true identity of the blades, by placing them in less important or comon dressings/scabbards etc.


The legendary sword,' especially its blade' is very sought after,and looked for even today, due to its origins, and history, being from a legendary master craftsman, and kept in the same family, for hundreds of years. If this was not destroyed it would be worth millions today. This sword was so highly prized and culturally special to the Japanese, it is hoped it survives and is still in existance, and possibly, still with some American family or other etc, who may still have it today, but not aware of its importance.

So I hope you got a receipt for it from the museum..lol

[MilitaryMetalMagnut]

That is such a cool find!!

Genuine Japanese Katanas usually have the makers markings on the tang under the handle. Might still be visible.

Best regards,

Simon

[Koala]

after the war family swords were suppose to have been handed in and destroyed.


a lot were "lost" by GI's and ended up in the USA


a few were hidden.


But this didn't apply to the majority of the mass produced swords

[liamnolan]

Slightly off-topic but although Jigoro Kano who invented the art of Judo became world famous as such and was revered in an almost God like way by myself and others, his real fame back in Japan was his legendary knowledge of the lacquers that were applied to the sword scabbards, an art all to itself. So, sword blade, tsuba and handle fitments aside, ANY part of the scabbard surface is worth preserving.
A great story of a find that unlocks a little bit of history, thanks so much for sharing, Liam

[Virtakuono]

That one definitely is a Japanese made katana. I would love to see more detailed photos of this magnificent find! Have you managed to remove it from it's saya? and did you find any markings on the tang of the sword?