Identification - Korea GI bringback

DaveA · 9th October 2013, 03:40 PM

Hello All,

A friend has asked me to help him identify a sword. His father brought this back from Korea after serving there in the 50's. Not my area of study, but I'm guessing this is related to either the Japanese occupation or Chinese participation in the later conflict.

Thoughts?

Best Regards,

David A.

AJ1356 · 9th October 2013, 04:04 PM

It look European to me, after all Korea was the first UN mission.

DaveA · 9th October 2013, 04:23 PM

Could this be a Japanese Police sword? See:

Japanese Military Swords II
http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/civilian.htm

Rich · 9th October 2013, 05:59 PM

Yes, Japanese military sword.

Rich

trenchwarfare · 9th October 2013, 06:20 PM

Chinese Nationalists, or possibly Manchukkuo officer's sword. Copied from Japanese patterns. Shows navy influence. Note the five petal plum blossom, as apposed to the five, of ten petal sakura (cherry blossom) used on Japanese swords.

DaveA · 10th October 2013, 03:54 AM

Note the similarity of the hilt design to the sword shown here, identified as Japanese army officer: WWIII Japanese Military Collectibles

and here: Japanese Military Swords Scroll down to the section on "Kyu-gunto" swords and the discussion of army vs. navy backstraps. Also, the scabbard with a single ring is identical to the one in my pictures.

Is it a plum blossom or a cherry blossom?

How would a Nationalist Chinese sword end up in Korea in the 1950's, to be brought back by an American GI? What specific indicators do you see to suggest this is Nationalist Chinese vs. Japanese?

Thanks for taking a look!

Best Regards,

David

9th October 2013, 03:40 PM	#1
DaveA Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 415	Identification - Korea GI bringback Hello All, A friend has asked me to help him identify a sword. His father brought this back from Korea after serving there in the 50's. Not my area of study, but I'm guessing this is related to either the Japanese occupation or Chinese participation in the later conflict. Thoughts? Best Regards, David A. Attached Images

9th October 2013, 04:23 PM	#3
DaveA Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 415	Japanese? Could this be a Japanese Police sword? See: Japanese Military Swords II http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/civilian.htm

10th October 2013, 03:54 AM	#6
DaveA Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 415	For Comparison - two similar swords online Note the similarity of the hilt design to the sword shown here, identified as Japanese army officer: WWIII Japanese Military Collectibles and here: Japanese Military Swords Scroll down to the section on "Kyu-gunto" swords and the discussion of army vs. navy backstraps. Also, the scabbard with a single ring is identical to the one in my pictures. Is it a plum blossom or a cherry blossom? How would a Nationalist Chinese sword end up in Korea in the 1950's, to be brought back by an American GI? What specific indicators do you see to suggest this is Nationalist Chinese vs. Japanese? Thanks for taking a look! Best Regards, David

9th October 2013, 04:04 PM	#2
AJ1356 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nashville Posts: 316	It look European to me, after all Korea was the first UN mission.

9th October 2013, 05:59 PM	#4
Rich Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: comfortably at home, USA Posts: 432	Yes, Japanese military sword. Rich

9th October 2013, 06:20 PM	#5
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Chinese Nationalists, or possibly Manchukkuo officer's sword. Copied from Japanese patterns. Shows navy influence. Note the five petal plum blossom, as apposed to the five, of ten petal sakura (cherry blossom) used on Japanese swords.