This is a really spectacular Japanese Army Pilot Officers sword, The blade is documented to be from the Koto Period, (900-1596) and it is a work of art, mounted in very nice wartime military mounts with a very well marked officers belt and sword hanger, which you just rarely ever see.
To be very clear about this the only officers authorized to carry this non-regulation length Sword were Pilots and Tankers who worked in very confined spaces. This particular example is an old Ancestoral family blade in full a full length leather combat cover which is in and of it’s self quite un-common. The very old 18.5 inch blade is from the Bizen School and is it is of high artistic merit. It is in decent polish with a nicely undulating temper line.
Very likely this belonged to a Pilot from an old Samurai Family. There were never a large number of these short swords and most that were carried in combat would have been lost. This is a fantastic example of how far the Samurai ethos pervaded Japanese Military Culture, climbing into a Tank or Plane but still wanting to be a Samurai in Spirit.
