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WWII JAPANESE ARMY SAMURAI SWORD - KATANA - #6
This is a WWII Samurai sword. As issued to Japanese armed forces during WWII. The simplicity of design, strength and beauty has made the sword famous. It is employed in movies and commercials quite often, propelling it into one of the top military collectibles.





THE FITTINGS
The fittings found on this sword are typical of the WWII era. The pommel displays the cherry blossom on its top while the side has a circular pattern (below-left). The Tsuba is of very rough construction, this implies that it was produced late in the war when the materials were getting more scarced and were dedicated to the construction of weapons (below-right).


The scabbard is outfitted with a brass hanger and tip ornament. Notice how just above the scabbard there is an indentation on the wood. This is where a wooden, hollowed piece would be placed to allow the soldiers to secure the sword via a cloth sash.

The blade is hand made. Some minor nicks can be seen in the edge of the sword. In addition, the upper section of the blade is bent. When force is applied to a blade it will bend or crack. Hand made blades bend because they were constructed by folding the metal onto itself several times.

The Hamon (edge) is no longer visible. It appears that the blade has been sharpened improperly removing this characteristic of the blade. This is one of the many reasons why untrained individuals should not sharpen a Samurai sword.

The Habaki is shown on the left photo. Manufactured of copper with a brushed design. This is typical design.


THE BLADE

This page is a recognition and identification guide for Samurai swords. Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined points that should be noted.

One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my Samurai Sword worth?". A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the swords is reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth of the edge weapons in the collector's market is illustrated.

This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of MilitaryItems.com, a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?
  1. FAQ's
  2. Samurai sword periods
  3. Samurai Swordsmith schools
  4. Samurai sword anatomy
  5. The Menuki
  6. The Tsuba
  7. The Samurai blade tip
  8. Reading the sword's signature
  9. Samurai sword care
  10. Identifying sword reproductions
  11. Ready to buy a sword


The tang (see above photo) has three holes which are used to secure the blade to the handle via wooden pegs. The size and shape of the tang are factors that help determine the school who made the blade.



This Samurai Sword may be currently reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the collectible.



If you have an interest is seeing other Japanese Samurai swords, you can do so by going to our Japanese Samurai Swords Price Guide identification guide. Where we cover Samurai swords from all periods.



PRICING GUIDE INFORMATION

The value for the Samurai sword and other military antiques and collectibles is provided as a means to educate the collector community and individuals who have a general interest on the field. The following is an estimated value. Prices may vary in every state and every country. This service is provided courtesy of MilitaryItems.com. The source for military antiques and collectibles in the web.

Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Value $500.00 $575.00 $700.00 $750.00 $775.00
Availability Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare
Invest Grade B B B B A


While the item featured here is not for sale, similar items like it are available for purchase in our website MilitaryItems.com


 
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