Object number
4301.13.1
Title
Japanese Shin-guntō sword of Gen Ayabe
Creator
Description
A Japanese Shin-guntō sword from the Shōwa period (1926-1945) belonging to General Kitsuju Ayabe. Ayabe surrendered the sword to Brigadier Charles P Jones in Kuala Lumpar, 1945.
Sugata (configuration): shinogi-zukuri (longitudinal ridgeline) with shallow tori-zori (even curve) with medium kissaki (blade tip). Hamon (tempering pattern): broad notare gunome (wavy and undulating).
Nakago (tang): one mekugi-ana (peg hole); signed Izumi no kami Fujiwara Kunisada. NB – unable to remove the hilt, this information is taken from documentation including an oshigata (rubbing) taken at some time of the signature on the tang.
Koshirae (mounting): wooden saya (scabbard) with metal cover and two ashi (suspension rings), one perhaps a replacement or addition to the original mounting; with single brass semegane (reinforcing ring) and sayajiri (chape) Silver foil covered double habaki (blade collar), pierced and gilded mokko tsuba (quatrefoil hand guard) decorated with cherry blossom, fuchi (collar) decorated with cherry blossom and kabutogane (pommel) with suspension ring and officers braid tassel. The top of the kabutogane has a round silver fitting decorated with three bamboo leaves, perhaps the family crest of the Ayabe clan. Wooden tsuka (hilt) wrapped in same (rayskin) with brown silk itō (braiding) over gilt copper menuki (hilt fittings) in the form of triple chrysanthemums.
This is the work of the smith who was the son of the first generation signing Izumi no Kami Kunisada. From around 1672 he used the name Inoue Shinkai. His fine workmanship earned him the nickname ‘the Masamune of Osaka’. Inoue’s swords are counted among the most famous Osaka Swords crafted during the reign of Emperor Go-sai in the Seventeenth Century. [This information is from 4301.13.3].
The Royal Engineers Museum has copious documentation in both Japanese and English about the sword and the circumstances of its surrender.
Production place
Japan
Date
1982 - 1945
Production period
World War Two, 1939-1945, 17th century
Material
Dimensions
- Length: Sword 980 mm
- Width: Sword 65 mm
- Length: Blade 710 mm
- Width: mm
- Width: mm
- Length: Scabbard 760 mm
- Width: Scabbard 80 mm
- Width: hand guard mm