WW2 JAPANESE SWORD KATANA Smith Forged Signed KATSUNORI 1943 Type 98 GENDAITO

Description

Excellent WW2 JAPANESE SWORD KATANA GENDAITO.
SIGNED KATSUNORI YOSHIDA JULY 1943 MOUNTED in ORIGINAL matched S/N FURNITURE Type 98 ARMY GUNTO. Silver habaki.
Original polish and edge. Tight grain. Wide blade low mid hamon some cloud. As is smith’s method.
Clean with some small discolor. No chips in edge or kissaki. Original full tang one hole. A minimum professional polish would bring to museum quality.
Fittings show wear that fits fielded kit.
This sword was made for the Imperial Japanese Army by Swordsmith Katsunori Yoshida from Tottori Prefecture. His skill won the Chairman's Award of the Army Guntō Technology Encouragement Association.
This sword, by its date, was forged at the sword house/armory in Karasu-Jo (Okayama Castle)
By this time Katsunori was engraving his own name to his work and not following the contemporary manner of using names of ancient famous master craftsman that was often applied to lesser quality gunto produced during wartime.
This weapon shows the earmarks Katsunori's Bizen-den style. Modern Japanese collectors see Katsunori’s work as long more than just a military sword, and as they say that his crafted gunto are well suited as an “appreciation sword”. This is as real as old school gets. Made for beauty and made for war.
烏城鍛刀舎勝則作
Ujō tantō-sha Katsunori-saku
昭和十八年七月吉日(Showa 18 nen)(7 gatsu)(Kichi-jitsu)
1943 July on an auspicious day.