Imperial Japanese Army Officer Sword JS19

Antique Imperial Japanese WW2 Army Officer Sword. Early version Shin Gunto Mount with thick pierce tsuba. Silver family Mon on pommel cap indicates officer's samurai family linkage. All number matching seppas. All fittings are completely original and work and fit good. Hand forged blade is signed by a very famous Gendaito swordsmith Emura (real name Emura Shigetaro) in a rare form of long signature mei Chounsai Emura Saku. This hand forged blade has a Superb sharp cutting edge, graceful and powerful. The bold thick and big clove shape gunome-choji hamon runs along on the edge to the tip forming a very powerful point boshi. This beautiful hamon is Superb bright, it can be easily seen from across the room. Blade also shows some very nice tight ko-mokume hada metal grain and some beautiful activities all over it. Tip to guard measures 27+3/8". Nagasa measures 26+1/8". Sword overall 39" with 9" handle. Blade is in excellent flawless condition overall with No crack, No bend, No blister, No kizu, and no forging flaws at all with 95% + original war time polish, just minor nail catchers and normal scratches from used during the war. Chounsai Emura operated a sword making school at the Okayama Prison during WW II. He is originally from Tokushima in Shikoku. He made sword blades himself and also trained prisoners to make sword blades in support of the Japanese war effort. Emura died in 1960. He made many very good blades which are now much sought after by collectors and students of the Japanese sword. His blades have received Hozon origami from the NBTHK and have also received Shinteisho and Kanteisho origami from the NTHK in Japan. This confirms that Emura blades are judged to be true traditional hand made blade. More information regarding Chounsai Emura can be found on Richard Steins website: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/emura.htm

As noted in the Japanese sword reference book by Fuller & Gregory "Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks". There is one documented case of a Japanese Army General surrendering an Emura blade at the end of the Pacific Conflict. Lt-Gen. (Japanese 17th Army) Kanda Masatane's sword, an Emura made blade, was surrendered on September 16, 1945 in New Guinea to Brigadier Garret of the Australian 2nd Corp. Masatane's surrendered Emura blade can be seen at the Australian War Museum.