Thanks Jareth. You are quite right about mis-identification. The seller also had a common company grade Army parade sword and he thought that this was simply a variation of the parade saber and had priced it $100 less than the more common sword. It made this one underpriced and the common sword overpriced, so it worked out well for me.

I have seen Toyoda maker markings on the underside of the guard but I am unfamiliar with the "YE" maker mark. Any ideas who this mark may represent?

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson