Showa Era katana

[MoonZar]

Hello,

I'm a japanese sword collectionner and i study sword martial art.

You should evaluate the sword by an expert and he well tell you if this a real one or not.

If the sword is hand made and this a really from 193x this could worth around 5000-10000 us for a collectionner if the blade is in perfect condition and if you could got a certificate of evaluation. But this will be hard to find someone who is willing to buy it.

The best you can do first is to disasemble the sword and see if the blade go deep in the tsuka (handle). Fake sword blade just go about 1-2 inch in the handle, this prevent accident and if someone use it to hit something or someone this will broke.

 

[Krieg]

I would start by asking on SFI's Nihonto message board. The membership there includes martial artists, traditional smiths & collectors of Japanese swords. You should be able to find the information you need there in short order.

You might also want to try contacting Richard Stein or the JSSUS.


As you mentioned Showa does refer to the period between 1926 & 1989.

FWIW Showato typically refers to non-traditionally manufactured swords. If it were a traditional blade made in 1935 it would be a Gendaito. Showato are typically of lower quality and hence less valuable than Gendaito.

Moonzar is correct in stating that you are going to have remove the Tsuka (grip) so that you can see the Mei (smith's mark). That will tell you who (and by extrapolation when/where) manufactured the sword.

As for returning it to the Japanese government I will leave you with my great uncle's opinion on the matter...

"They can have the damn swords back as soon as they return my leg!"

 

[Tric]

This is what I found on the Showa era:
http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/showato.htm

The father of a girl I used to date many years ago had one of these. I wish-wish-wish I'd stolen it when I had the chance, because he cut it into smaller blades and made a set of steak knives out of it. I hate him.

Would be okay for me to join in your hatred? That guy was wacked.

 

[barsoomcore]

You could also try http://www.swordforum.com

Lots of very knowledgeable people there.

 

[Krieg]

You could also try http://www.swordforum.com

Pssst, already covered.