A Superb WW2 Imperial Japanese Naval Officer's Kai Gunto Sword Tachi. Signed Blade, with Unusual Brown Ishime Lacquer Saya, and Brown Silk Battle Wrapped Tsuka, Over Black Samegawa {Giant Rayskin}

In our opinion this is a "near impossible to better" original, WW2 Naval officer's kai gunto sword, used and carried by of an officer of the {formerly} divine Emperor Hirohito's Imperial Navy in WW2.

Upon Japan’s surrender the Emperor had to surrender his divine status.
Ideal for the collector of the very best surviving officer's swords of WW2.
A rare 1937 pattern Kai Gunto, with a fine signed blade. With all it's original gilded mounts and fittings, with near mint conserved dark brown ishime stone lacquer saya. Traditional pattern naval style flattened knot battle-wrap ito over black samegawa. The blade is absolutely near perfect and near flawless, with only a some very small surface stains, with all it's original finish, and fully signed tang {yet to be translated}. It has its original naval pattern ‘rising sun’ tachi tsuba with twin large seppa dai. This sword would, effectively, be near impossible to upgrade if you wanted the best possible available, regulation, deluxe grade tachi sword, as commissioned by a Japanese naval officer in WW2, in absolutely superb, conserved, condition. Only the tsuba has signs of old storage marks. Effectively, it is just like the day it was surrendered in 1945 apart from some very light natural service age wear.

Brown lacquer sayas are rare for naval swords, with black the most commonly found colour, although, a brown polished rayskin option was popular, but a very expensive option at the time, though a brown lacquer finish, with a single belt mount, finish is rarely seen.

The illustrative photo shows three Imperial Japanese Naval flying officers, the central figure carrying the same sword.

The air crewmen of a Ginga bomber that hit the allied aircraft carrier, Randolph. From left to right): Chief Flight Petty Officer Takeshi Igai (navigator), Lieutenant Koetsu Fukuda (pilot), and Chief Flight Petty Officer Kenji Ota (radioman).

The WW2 Japanese pilots, by tradition, carried their kai gunto swords aboard their planes, in a special metal almost cylindrical case affixed to the cockpit side, including the kamikaze pilots, which might be another reason that kai gunto swords are rare to find, as most pilots and their planes perished in combat, as did so many of the Imperial Japanese Naval combat vessals, that were sunk by the allied fleets. They carried their sword airborne in WW2 as part of their bushido tradition, in that, although they might never face hand to hand combat on land, unless if they landed in an emergency or survived a crash on land, but if they were to perish in their aircraft the sword would still be by their side.

Code: 25395