Japanese Type 32 Army Cavalry Sword

This sword appears to have never been issued.

Japanese type 32 army cavalry sword. An excellent museum quality original japanese type 32 model 1899 ko pattern sword manufactured at the tokyo hohei kosho arsenal in tokyo between 1899 and 1923 and issued to cavalry ncos other arms non comms were issued with the slightly shorter type 32 otsu pattern. The sword length is 38 inches with a blade length of 32 3 4 inches from tip to seppae. The wood grips are also checkered. The tsuka of the otsu was improved by japanese sword pattern in 1932 32 advanced type and was replaced with the type 95 guntō in 1935.

Two patterns of the type 32 were produced. A sound example of a pattern of sword adopted in meiji 32 1899 in two styles ko with a 32 3 4 inch blade and otsu with a 30 1 2 inch blade. The type 32 model 1899 had a machined blade and was manufactured at the tokyo hohei kosho arsenal. Our example is the otsu pattern as issued nco s drivers military police and other enlisted men requiring the issue of a sword.

The ko sword was for cavalry use while the shorter otsu was intended mainly for foot soldiers. Also they have a very small thin drag on the end of the saya. The type 25 introduced in 1892 have brass hilts and plain wood grips. Ko was issued to the cavalry and had a blade of approx.

This is an ko type 32 sword. Kyu gunto swords also called russo japanese swords were used by army cavalry and naval officers during the russo japanese war and ww ii this style of mounting was used from 1883 until 1945. Therefore the cavalry department which was one of the milytary 3 major arming was reorganized by the trend of the time in 1942 after 1937 at the armor department. It measures 39 5 8 inches in the scabbard.

Japanese wwii type 32 sword otsu model. It was available in two very similar models ko with a 32 3 4 inch blade for cavalry troops and otsu with a 30 1 2 inch blade issued to other ija enlisted troops requiring a sword for service use. Japanese kanji can be seen on the obverse ricasso and a serial number 66411 on the reverse. Kyu gunto swords russo japanese style mounts.

The sword saw service during the russo japanese war world war one and on into world war two. The first pattern known as ko was issued to cavalry ncos and had a blade length of around 830mm. Like shin gunto a great variety of quality in both blades traditional and machine made and mounts is seen in kyu gunto swords. This sword replaced the type 25 model 1892 and equipped imperial japanese army cavalry nco s during the russo japanese war 1905 ww1 1914 1918 manchuria 1937 1941 and ww2 1941 1945.

If you don t know what ko and otsu they refer the 2 variations in the model of type 32 or aka 1899 troopers sword. Japanese cavalry sabers introduced in the late 19th century have machine made blades with serial numbers on the ricasso and will commonly have arsenal stamps on the guard. Commonly called cavalry swords there are actually two versions of the type 32 army sword the ko first model and the otsu second model. The kō was manufactured to the defeat in 1945.

The hilt back strap on later type 32 model introduced in 1899 is checkered steel commonly blackened. 32 inches depending on how much sharpening has occurred.