Gunto, Officer's Katana, Signed ōshu Sendai Ju Kunimitsu, Dated April 1943, Japan

Blade signed 奥州仙台住國光 Ōshu Sendai ju Kunimitsu, Kunimitsu, resident in the city of Sendai, province of Mutsu, capital of present-day Miyagi Prefecture. Miura Kunimitsu II Shogo (1900-1967) is the son and student of Miura Kunimitsu I Gonpei (1874-c.1945) and the brother of Miura Masamitsu. It belongs to a small branch of the school in Miyagi prefecture, former Oshu province. His work is linked to the tradition of the Yamato school; masame, suguha and gunome. He received certification as an army blacksmith (Rikugun Jumei Tosho) with the rank of Superior Artisan (Ryoko no Joi), just like his younger brother Masamitsu, who assisted him in his workshop. He signs Oshu Sendai ju Kunimitsu, like his father, but uses a more cursive calligraphy, which allows an obvious distinction between the two generations.
Suriage, 1 mekugi ana, no habaki.
Composite mount for a non-commissioned officer from the end of the Second World War: Type 98 Tsuka mounted with type 3 saya in black lacquered wood and plum blossom kojiri. Chiseled sarute, simple tsuba, pierced in kozuka ana.

Found condition, untouched and unpolished since World War II. Family tradition attributes it to the Pacific campaign, after which one of their officer ancestors would have reported it. Steel (tamahagane), copper, brass, wood, shagreen, silk, lacquer.

Total length with scabbard 98.5 cm
Total length without scabbard 92.5 cm
Scabbard 74 cm
Blade (nagasa) 66 cm
Width of the blade at the forte 3.3 cm
Tsuba 7.5 cm
Weight 1439 g