Search:

You might get more responses here:

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/index.php

Register, lots of very knowledgeable people on that board from around the world.

Rich

Pure speculation, but likely from a pile of confiscated Japanese swords after the surrender. Just a guess. Probably no way to know for sure.

Rich

Yes, this is a shingunto (military officer's sword) not an NCO sword. A larger pic of the writing on the tang would help. Can't quite read it as is.
It may (?) be ____ Masamitsu or _____Kanemitsu-...

Bruce -

Yes, the smith's name and kanji are very helpful. I've never been able to translate their real names. :-(
My translation skills are terrible; just a matter of matching Kanji with various...

Bruce -

Text versions ?? What do you mean? Just curious.

Rich

I believe it is "Seki Hiromitsu". A Showa era smith; blade has Seki stamp as Bruce noted.
See the middle oshigata on this page:

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/promei.htm

Rich

I'm sure there are books on Matchlocks; not sure about Jingasa. Not my area of interest, so do a search on Google or whatever to see what's available. Might try Amazon - they carry everything :-)
...

I have a little info on naginata on my website:

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/polearms.htm

No, wrong way to measure.

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/measure.htm

You want from tip (Kissaki) to Mune-machi (where the habaki stops at the top of the blade).
The proper term on the...

Yes, a katana kake (stand) works great. That's what they were designed for, although it may be hard to find one for three blades.
For info on dating, maker, etc. try this forum:
...

Being cast and with an oddly shaped nakago-ana, I'd concur with Kristian - likely Chinese or Korean. Never seen a Japanese tsuba like it in my 40+ years of collecting/study.

Rich

I think we need a good picture of the entire tang to make sense of it.

Rich

Yes, your translation is correct.

Rich

It is one of several Japanese sword forums, but this one gets little traffic. Try the one I noted above - very big, lots of very knowledgeable folks and very active group.
Rich

I can't translate it for you, but the folks on the Nihonto Message Board will be able to.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/index.php

Rich

Yes, modern, most likely Chinese made copy.
Rich

Yes, Ohmura san's page is excellent. So is the Japanese Sword Society of the US page on fakes:

http://jssus.org/nkp/fake_japanese_swords.html

Rich

Learn first, buy later. My website linked below is a good place to start. My various links pages
have many dozens of dealers sites listed. Don't buy until you know what you are buying and
what a...

Looks to me to be a pretty standard Kai-gunto made in Seki. I don't see an arsenal stamp in the pics, but the "chippy" style of the mei is a common sign of a Seki blade.
Rich

Based on Ed's observations, I would suspect an end of the war sword.
Rich

Bruce -

Can't seem to get your pics to load, just keeps buffering and buffering?? I have this trouble with all photobucket links.

Rich

Yes, correct translation of Koa Isshin Mantetsu. See the page below for details.

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/koa.htm

The mekugi (peg) is normally bamboo, but some were ebony (or some...

It's real, no doubt. A WWII Shingunto, most likely a Seki made blade judging from the hamon.
Rich

Ed-

Thank you for posting that info. I've not been replying to some posts as I get tired of trying to read sideways or download the images to turn them to a readable position. If folks will follow...

Ed -

You are probably correct. Those chippy Seki mei drive me nuts and I find them hard to read (esp sideways :-)
Rich