Bidspirit auction | Imperial Japanese Army Kyu-gunto Company

Imperial Japanese Army Kyu-gunto Company Grade Officer Sword and Scabbard - This is an Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) Kyu-gunto officer's sword, a pattern utilized from the Meiji era through the early Showa period. The hilt features a brass D-style guard with pierced open-work decoration depicting cherry blossoms (sakura) and foliage. The grip is composed of black ray skin (same-gawa) bound with twisted brass wire. A brass backstrap is present, ornamented with a cherry blossom crest indicative of a company-grade officer. The steel blade is slightly curved with a single fuller (bo-hi) running along the upper third and terminates in a traditional chu-kissaki tip. The sword is paired with its original metal scabbard which includes a single suspension ring (ashi) and a terminal drag. Stamped Arabic numerals 12 are located on the underside of the quillon. The blade exhibits significant surface oxidation, scratching, and generalized wear throughout its length. The brass hilt components show a dark, aged patina with some areas of verdigris. The ray skin grip and wire binding remain intact but show evidence of use and age. The metal scabbard shows extensive surface rust and substantial loss of the original nickel plating.