Japanese, 18th century, samurai sword, blade signed "Hizen (No) Kuni Tadayoshi", iron tsuba, shagreen and dark green fabric hilt with iron menuki, in later 20th century reddish brown leather and wood scabbard, overall 37 in.

Note: General Albert Coady Wedemeyer was an important commander in the United States Army during and after WWII. Wedemeyer was a key figure on the War Planning Board and the main writer of the 1941 report Victory Program. He worked directly under Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. "Wedemeyer drafted the 'Germany first' strategy, formulated much of the Allied strategy for the Mediterranean theatre, and helped plan the successful Allied invasion of Normandy in France (June 6, 1944). After serving as deputy commander under Admiral Lord Mountbatten (1943), the British head of the Southeast Asia Command, he was appointed chief of staff to General Chiang Kai-shek and commander of U.S. forces in China (1944?46). His 1947 report of the situation in China and Korea, which warned of an imminent Communist triumph in China unless greater U.S. support was given to the Nationalists." (Britannica)

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Albert Coady Wedemeyer". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Jul. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Albert-Coady-Wedemeyer. Accessed 17 November 2022.

Provenance: Muscarelle Museum of Art deaccession (Gift of Sumner Wood, donor acquired sword from Ret. General. A.C. Wedemeyer)