Finding nice WW2 Japanese Army officers swords is not easy because so often over the years they were played with by kids and the blade often get nicked up or worse. This is a very fine example of a 1943 production Japanese Army Officers Shin Gunto Sword. It certainly was carried in the field and it still has the surrender tag on it from its surrender at the end of the war. If translated this will give the name, rank and possibly unit of the officer who carried it. It is a signed Gunto blade that has the oil tempered finish and the typical Showa period straight temper line. The length of the blade is 26 inches it is very sharp in very high polish and has no nicks. We guarantee that it is good for at least 5 beheadings with out the need for sharpening.
The Japanese “Samurai Sword” was one of the most iconic weapons of the Pacific Theatre and it was certainly the most sought after War Trophy that you could bring home from Island battlefields. This very fine Sword exemplifies the revivalist Japanese Samurai ethos that was very much in evidence in the Japanese Army of the time. The value that they placed on the Sword makes its capture and symbolism even more poignant as a triumph of Democracy over Hegemony.
