[Brian Williams]

I am trying to identify this sword. I have been told it has to do with the Korean occupation by Japan. It looks like a Japanese Army/ Police parade sword, only it has a yin/yang on the grip not a 5 petal flower.
OBTW is is for sale in the accesories furum.
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=696304

[LawDog]

Hmm.

Bears a striking resemblance to an 1886-pattern Field Officers Saber from Meiji-era Japan.

Except for the Yin-yang symbol where the chrysanthemum should be.

The best Internet picture I could find of an 1886 saber is here:
1886 Field Officers Saber (http://www.japanesesword.com/Images/Swords/03/803/Parade%20Saber/ultra_rare_field_officer.htm)

Just a guess here, but I'd hazard that what you have is a Chinese or Korean knock-off of an 1886-pattern Field Officers saber.

LawDog

[El Tejon]

Japanese? With the Taiji on it? Hmmm.

[Soap]

I forwarded a pic of your sword and a question to a gentleman who collects such weapons.

This is a bit of a mystery. It is a Japanese parade saber style, but the
"yin yang" symbol on the side of the handle is not a standard marking. The
marking on Japanese police swords for Korea is a type of flower. This may be a
Sword for Korean police during the occupation, or may be a Korean sword after the
occupation, or it may be an undocumented style of Japanese police parade
saber. It also could be Chinese. In any case it is a fairly unusual and rare
sword. Standard Police and Army Parade sabers go for between $75 and $125 on
Ebay. Territorial variants (like Korea) go for more (maybe $175-300). Hope this
helps.

Mike M.

His e-mail address is swordclub@aol.com He also has a website:

http://hometown.aol.com/machood/swordsociety1.html

[Detritus]

My thinking on this is running like the gentleman quoted by Daniel..

ie, Japanese pattern sword made for KOREAN usage. the presence of the "yin-yang" symbol where the "mum" should be is to me a fairly strong indicator of SOME form of korean link. (that symbol is a major one for the koreans, just take a look at a S.Korean flag)

i can't imagine an IJA or IJN officer carying a sward marked with what amounts to a "national symbol" for a group that the Japanese (at least at that time) considered to be inferior and quite frankly worthy of nothing more than use as forced laborers. (if you think 19th southern whites had problems with freed-men...... that's NOTHING!!)