Overview
It has a hand rub satin finished blade with a fairly straight hamon, .266" blade stock and 1.185" blade depth, hidden tang construction. Has a brass habiki, fileworked silver seppas, decorative brass tsuba, carved and engraved brass and copper fuchi, brass flower menukis under gold colored Tsuka-Ito with lizard skin, decorative brass kashira gane. The Saya is black laquered wood with steel Kurigata.
The blade has some scratches and a couple of light oxidation spots, looks to have been sharpened and used to some degree. The brass/copper furniture has some patina, the Tsuka-Ito is a little round and a little bit loose, has some freying near the Tsuba, the kashira gane is a little loose, but has a pin going through the handle so it is secure. I replaced the Mekugi (wooden pin) with a new bamboo one to might it nice and tight. The Saya has some dings and wear, but is solid. The Kurigata has oxidation. The tang of the blade has a signature that we will include in the pictures. No idea of its age or who the maker is. Any help would be appreciated.
Note from the consigner:
I got the sword from a dealer called Frederick's Swords around 1992, I mostly purchased much more expensive European swords from him over the years but he recommended this one as being of a little better quality than most WW2 Japanese officer swords (there were a lot floating around back then with molded metal grips that simulated the cord wrap for around $75). It's the only Japanese sword in my collection and I don't know much about it.