The Imperial Japanese Army Type 30 bayonet was produced from 1897 until 1945 to accompany the Arisaka Type 38 rifle. The designation as Type 30 was a result of the bayonets official adoption in the 30th year of the Emperors reign.
Until the late 1930’s, the Type 30 bayonet remained virtually unchanged, but as wartime production increased, numerous civilian as well as military contractors and colonial arsenals were engaged to produce the Type 30 and this, combined with wartime shortages and expediency forced simplifications in production, resulting in a large number of variations, some of which are rare.
This bayonet was manufactured by Toyoda Jidoshoki Seisakusho (Toyoda Automatic Loom Works) under Nagoya Arsenal Supervision and is designated as “Variation B.” The blued hilt has a straight quillon with a rounded end, contoured wooden grip scales secured by screws with oval washers and a contoured birds’ head pommel.
The 398mm blued blade has a slightly rounded spine and long, narrow fuller on both sides. The blade is single edged and is in good condition, free from rust or damage and retains its blued finish. Only the first half of the blade has been sharpened; presumably by the factory as the blueing shows minimal wear along the edge. The ricasso is stamped with the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works and Nagoya Arsenal stamps.
The cross-piece and birds’ head pommel retain their blueing with minor wear. The wooden grip scales are in fair to good condition with use related marks. The name “Mack” has been scratched into one of the grip scales. The pommel is stamped with the early war serial number 28924 and inspection stamps. The press stud mechanism is in good, crisp working order.
The bayonet is complete with its blued steel scabbard with early button-type end. The scabbard is in good condition and retains its blued finish. Numerous small dents along the first third of the spine of the scabbard suggest that the scabbarded bayonet may have been used for bayonet drill at some point. The marks are consistent with parrying. The bayonet sheathes and draws smoothly and is held firmly within the scabbard.
This is a better than average example of an early war, variation B, Japanese Type 30 Arisaka bayonet.
