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No serial number bayonet?

onegunn
Doing a little research on a type 30 Arisaka bayonet and scabbard. It's a Nagoya produced, blued blade, hooked tapered quillon, birdshead contoured pommel, with screw grip fasteners, no subcontractor stamp and no serial number.
Is this an early type 30? I see auctions that list serial numbered, and stamped, mostly with an arsenal stamp and subcontractor stamp on the right ricasso.
This one has no serial number and only the Nagoya stamp on the ricasso.
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3 comments

Date Votes
  • 45er
    Howdy onegunn,

    "Usually a serial number was stamped on the end of the pommel". This from "Japanese Rifles Of World War II, by Duncan O. McCollum in his short chapter on bayonets.

    So, if this is correct, then the "usually" means stamping of serial numbers was not 100% an absolute, my way of thinking.

    Deductive reasoning, I know, so hopefully someone with more knowledge/facts will offer better.

    EDIT Left or right side?-- Scroll down this page...
    http://members.shaw.ca/tju/actionphotos.htm
    and will see a photo of two Japanese, one manning a machine gun. Bayo is on his left side. Is this SOP normal? Beats me, yet looks officious enough.
    Dented pummel-- when in need of a hammer, well there ya go.

    RE-EDIT Happy to assist, onegunn. Sounds like you've nailed it. Left hand-- found other pics the same, but this one was most clear. Also, found that Navy bayos were sans serial #'s, but all other markings and of other manufacture, so that was ruled out. Found the dented pummels was not rare and one author stated due the tight fit onto the rifle mount, the pummel was wolloped with something hard to remove it? Once came upon a very good book, cannot remember who wrote it, on the Rising Sun bayo's, but the price was outta my reach.
    For whatever reason, interest is higher if comparing the Pacific & European WWII war theaters, and records of such stuff seem to be more avaiable with Hitlers little shindig. This despite massive destruction to both Axis countries.

    45er
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  • onegunn
    I don't see any numbers on the end of the pummel. It looks like this soldier was a carpenter. The end is dented, more than I would expect to see. The bayonet release button is round, with a rounded top and a circle with 3 dots 120 degrees apart stamped on the top.
    Were these worn on the left hip or the right?
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  • onegunn
    45er, I took a look at the site you listed and found a very good write up of Japanese bayonets. According to the site info, my bayonet was an early Nagoya manufacter 1936-37, after 37 Nagoya only supervised subcontractors. That explains the Nagoya mark and lack of serial number.
    From the other pictures on the site I believe the left side is the correct side for the bayonet.
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