Late War Army Sword for Officers aka "Type 3"
25.75" blade length. 38.75" overall with scabbard and hilt. Plain Sentoku habaki with the majority of metal fittings produced of black finished iron or steel and a plain black Shibuichi Tsuba (Guard). Simple Nanako (Fish Scale) texturing applied to all metal components with Sakura to the flanks of the Fuchi. Kashira (Pommel Cap) furnished with a hole for the tassel and no further decoration beyond Nanako pattern. Hilt features a white rayskin wrap with triple Sakura (Cherry Blossom) pattern Menuki to both sides. Swords of this pattern entered production in the latter stages of World War II, and reflected the growing need for simpler and sturdier sword construction suitable for the war at hand. Note that Type 3 is a term modern Japanese collectors sometimes use, but it does not appear in any official correspondence. Swords of this type may be produced with machine made or traditionally made blades. Blade shows no visible Hamon line or Mei (Signature) to the Nakago (Tang), with the left side hand painted with the Japanese numbers 3, 2, and 1.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.