Japanese Shin-Gunto Sword

Last week I when posted my kyu gunto sword, I wrote about how with the rise of Japanese nationalism and a reawakened interest in Samurai ethos, the Europeanized kyu-gunto was preplaced in the Japanese military with traditional samurai style swords, starting in 1934. The story of this blade, however, actually goes back to the time of the samurai.

Japanese shin gunto swords of WWII were generally machine made. Also, a portion of these swords were newly made by swordsmiths using traditional methods for those who could afford it. On rare occasions, heirloom blades found their way into these WWII mountings. I lucked out.

In 1987 I contacted David E.J. Pepin for an evaluation of the sword. People in my generation might remember his adverts in magazines offering free evaluations and offers to buy any swords that turned out to be rare. Pepin was no hustler. He was a true expert; he helped the FBI on stolen art and art fraud cases, and was invited to China to evaluate their collection of Japanese swords captured during the war.

I still have our correspondence. He initially found my sword “to be of great interest” until he found a “hagiri” – a small hairline crack in the blade – that he said rendered it of lesser value as a Japanese art sword. He said it was “to say the least, a great disappointment.” His note about the translation of the sword tang: “Maker-YOSHIMICHI (There are several, approx. 9) Title-YAMATO-NO-KAMI.” He went on to say “The title means Lord of YAMOTO (Province).”

Now for the kicker: “I would guesstimate that the blade was produced in approx. 1650-1700 AD.” Heck, for something that old, I can live with a tiny crack.

He estimated the fittings, which were for a Japanese Army officer, to be about 1940.

In spite of the crack, I fell very lucky. This was only the second “real sword” I’ve ever owned (I posted my first sword a couple months ago), and I had no idea what I was doing. It was in the mid-1970s. I was a teenager in a second-hand store and saw only what I knew was a WWII Japanese sword. I wanted it so badly I was willing to shell out the princely sum of US $95.