Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[gwsiii]

Here is a link to a youtube video of last weekend's TMCA show...

As always a great show. We took most of the family and had a blast. I picked up one of the nicest Chinese 8mm Type 38 conversions I've seen in a while, along with a fake helmet cover, an original cleaning rod, an empty pack of war era Camels. A whole bunch of nice stuff was there, more Japanese pistols (26s,Papas, 14s, 94s, and flare pistols) there than I'd seen in a while, including a very nice 3.10 Tokyo, a very late Kokura 98k range 23rd series 99 with Short push in cleaning rod, a 600K school marked Type 38 in a much later Kokura stock (the crud line was 1/16th of an inch above the wood line on the metal) but pretty nonetheless, a minty 28th series Type 38 and fine condition bayonet and several other just good solid guns. I saw a 99 sniper and 4x scope, a couple of 97 snipers, the obligatory overpriced Type 2 and a very nice Type 30 Carbine ($900+ nice). A pretty Hoten 38 carbine and muzzle cover changed hands too. I got to eyeball some some really fancy swords as well. I wrote down quite a few serial numbers to report and now I can't find the piece of paper. If it turns up, I'll notify the proper 'authorities'. In all a great show.

I had a bit of a standoff with hotel security over putting ties on my display guns that I sort of blew out of proportion just on general principle. It wouldn't have hurt my guns, but I've seen an old leather holster get a rip in it because some yahoo grabbed the pistol and drug it across the back of the holster as he was pulling it out on the 'display only - do not handle - display table. The trimmed edge of the tie neatly cut a noticeable gash in the weakened leather. Show officials, security and I reach an amicable compromise that involved clamping the netting down, thanks much guys! I really think they (Hotel Chain) need to rethink their policy for display only stuff.

My dad had a nice display of Civil War stuff, and I displayed Mukden/Hoten Type 99s and other war souvenirs. The Whites had a nice Murata display. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures. No awards this show, unless it was for crankiest displayer. Did you know the Japanese engraved their flare pistols with electric pencils in a random squiggly sort of way? Me neither...I guess it made the flares brighter...If you don't go to shows, you really don't know what you're missing....
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[gwsiii]

I found 1 piece of paper from the show....

Tokyo T14, 3.10 date, 1516

There should be more scraps of paper, I'll post as I find.
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I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!