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TANTO knife with KOZUKA - did officers carry these?


Bob Hudson
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This is said to be a WWII vet bringback - based on the other stuff he brought home, I'd assume this was real - a real what I don't know. I looked around online and really couldn't figure out who wore these and when? Was it something a Japanese officer would ever have worn?

 

Here's writing from the Kozuka blade and the Tanto's grip.

 

0.jpg

 

1.jpg

 

1a.jpg

 

1b.jpg

 

1c.jpg

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Bob,

 

This is a civilian short sword and would not have been worn by a military officer. This form, complete with the flat knife (kozuka), is not military and would not have been carried by military officers in uniform.

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Thanks - so this would have been a civilian display piece then? You see people online calling them "officer's daggers" but that didn't sound right since the armed forces had their own distinct styles of daggers and knives.

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Bob,

 

I don't know the first thing about these but I would have it looked at by an expert.

 

I would contact Fred Weissburg at www.nihonto.com.

 

The name on the Kozuka is Hirado 平戸 which I believe was a famous samurai period sword smith. I have no idea if this is the guy but Fred should know.

 

I don't think the other is writing. I think it is a scene (with ocean waves, sail boats and birds)

post-2-0-81307200-1563505035.jpg

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The name on the Kozuka is Hirado 平戸 which I believe was a famous samurai period sword smith. I have no idea if this is the guy but Fred should know.

 

I don't think the other is writing. I think it is a scene (with ocean waves, sail boats and birds)

 

Thanks - I cut off a couple of characters from the writing - here's the full version (are these right side up?

 

marks2.jpg

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These were not used by 20th century military offices, but were they used by military warriors in other era or are they like those cased collectible knife sets we put on display to impress our buddies? I did search around and could only find guesses as to what they might have been used for.

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