Identification - Korea GI bringback

DaveA · 10th October 2013, 12:36 PM

Many thanks for the information. It makes sense for there to be substantial Japanese influence. I'm going to search for examples of plum and cherry blossoms so I can better understand what to look for.

David

trenchwarfare · 10th October 2013, 04:20 PM

Information on Chinese swords and daggers is very splotchy. There are some limited publications on the subject, but they leave as many questions as answers. Add to the mix, copies of Japanese blades, and myriads of local designs well...

I've corresponded with people who have been to the national military museum in Beijing. They say, there's no two swords, or dagger just alike.

I had a sword once, that was a sword in form only. The blade was as thin as a feeler gauge blade. Just enough to keep it in the scabbard. Trying to buy Chinese blades on line, is a nightmare. There are tons of fakes, and fantasies. When I first got on Ebay in 2000, the daggers could be had for $20.00, and the swords for $40.00. Now, they're ten times that, and more. And, you can't tell the real from the fake. They are a fascinating study.

fearn · 11th October 2013, 05:30 PM

It's more than WW2. Japan colonized Korea from 1910 to 1945, and Manchuria from 1932-1945. The Japanese police were quite active in these times, and their retreat in 1945 was rather precipitous. In addition, Korea nationalists fought with the communist Chinese against the Japanese throughout WW2 (and indeed previously)

Given this mixed history, I'm unsurprised that a Japanese, or Japanese-style, blade, would turn up in Korea in the 1950s.

My 0.00002 cents,

F

M ELEY · 12th October 2013, 11:22 AM

I agree with Trenchwarfare on this one. I've owned Japanese kai gunto Army dress swords and police swords complete with family mon on hilt. The Chinese were copying this style for quite awhile. If you ever get a chance to look at a Chinese Pilot's/Air Cadet's dagger, you see many of the Japanese influences, but more crude and typically flaking to the chrome, simpler depictions/line work to the scabbards, etc. It doesn't make the piece any less desirable to me, as I'm into the history of it. WWII era.

10th October 2013, 12:36 PM	#1
DaveA Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 415	China, Japan, Korea Many thanks for the information. It makes sense for there to be substantial Japanese influence. I'm going to search for examples of plum and cherry blossoms so I can better understand what to look for. David

10th October 2013, 04:20 PM	#2
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Information on Chinese swords and daggers is very splotchy. There are some limited publications on the subject, but they leave as many questions as answers. Add to the mix, copies of Japanese blades, and myriads of local designs well... I've corresponded with people who have been to the national military museum in Beijing. They say, there's no two swords, or dagger just alike. I had a sword once, that was a sword in form only. The blade was as thin as a feeler gauge blade. Just enough to keep it in the scabbard. Trying to buy Chinese blades on line, is a nightmare. There are tons of fakes, and fantasies. When I first got on Ebay in 2000, the daggers could be had for $20.00, and the swords for $40.00. Now, they're ten times that, and more. And, you can't tell the real from the fake. They are a fascinating study.

11th October 2013, 05:30 PM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	It's more than WW2. Japan colonized Korea from 1910 to 1945, and Manchuria from 1932-1945. The Japanese police were quite active in these times, and their retreat in 1945 was rather precipitous. In addition, Korea nationalists fought with the communist Chinese against the Japanese throughout WW2 (and indeed previously) Given this mixed history, I'm unsurprised that a Japanese, or Japanese-style, blade, would turn up in Korea in the 1950s. My 0.00002 cents, F

12th October 2013, 11:22 AM	#4
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	I agree with Trenchwarfare on this one. I've owned Japanese kai gunto Army dress swords and police swords complete with family mon on hilt. The Chinese were copying this style for quite awhile. If you ever get a chance to look at a Chinese Pilot's/Air Cadet's dagger, you see many of the Japanese influences, but more crude and typically flaking to the chrome, simpler depictions/line work to the scabbards, etc. It doesn't make the piece any less desirable to me, as I'm into the history of it. WWII era.