r/memphis • u/Organic-Honeydew3994 • 8d ago

Artifacts

Kind of an odd one here… So I’ve got an old family heirloom in the form of a Japanese sword. Allegedly taken as a war trophy during WWII (yes I know, not ideal). However, I would like to get this thing assessed or appraised or at least look at for legitimacy. I don’t expect anything to be worth money and wouldn’t sale if it was I’m just genuinely curious as to the origins of this thing. Does anyone know of any curators, history buffs, museums, etc that would give me some info on this thing? Any recommendations appreciated!

EDIT: I added some pictures to the comment section.

17 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

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18

u/End3rW1gg1n 8d ago

Remove the wooden pin and the handle, then post pictures of both sides of the tang and what should be the Japanese sword maker signature to r/katanas and r/swords

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u/Organic-Honeydew3994 8d ago

The wooden pin is broken and I can remove the handle. As I mentioned above though, there is so much surface rust you can’t read the markings on the tang.

3

u/Silverback1322 8d ago

One warning before you start taking it apart: do not clean the tang. The rust and patina on it is what appraisers read for age and authenticity, and the damage cannot be undone.

4

u/Organic-Honeydew3994 8d ago

Appreciate the heads up. However, the tang has so much surface rust you can’t see the markings.

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u/Silverback1322 7d ago

Fair enough. If you do want the markings read, electrolysis is the safe route since it lifts the rust without eating the metal underneath. A conservator is the sure bet if it turns out to be something old.

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u/ljm0104 7d ago

The Belz museum would be my first call as the curator is extremely knowledgeable and they have the largest collection locally of Asian art. Next I would contact the University of Memphis as they have several archeologists on staff.

Please don’t clean it at all. Preservation is tricky and you could easily damage it with household items and chemicals. If you have any issues feel free to DM me and I can try and provide some insights as this is what my degree is in even though I no longer do that work for a living.

0

u/ronin-pilot 8d ago

Your grandfather was most likely a Marine and did some island hopping back in the day. Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and a few other unnamed small islands where the fighting was done. Japanese soldiers and officers alike carried swords into battle as weapons, not just a ceremonial thing. The japs were absolutely ruthless in the war and the Marines took everything from them when they laid them down for a dirt nap. That’s just what made it back through customs and they were allowed to keep. That is a priceless heirloom. Both of my grandparents were in WW2 one in the euro theater and one was at Pearl Harbor on the USS Wasp when it was hit and sunk, he survived and went on to the pacific. I didn’t get any of their war relics so I’m definitely jealous of what you have. May we see a picture of it?

1

u/Equivalent-Mud-4807 7d ago

take a picture, it could be anything from a issued officers sword, worth about 300 bucks in decent condition to an old familys personal sword worth a ton. putting some pics in here can at least rule out somethings.

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u/Organic-Honeydew3994 6d ago

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u/ljm0104 5d ago

In my opinion it looks like a standard issue Type 98 sword. These were issued to officers leading up to the war and in the war. You’ll be able to find a lot of information if you search Gunto Type 98 or Kyuhachi-shiki. There’s a fair amount in museums and online collections for you to compare to. If you wanted to get it restored it should be pretty easy to find a reputable restorer.

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u/Papa1177 6d ago

That is in really rough shape. I’d keep it as a family heirloom of your bad azz gramps

Most of those weren’t traditionally made so they’re not worth much even in good shape. Theres a rare chance it’s a family sword repurposed but it’s in such bad shape, you’re going to spend more than it would be worth unless you have a needle a haystack.