182

Antique Japanese Katana w/Koshirae

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,250.00 USD
Antique Japanese Katana w/Koshirae
Please read the terms and conditions carefully in regards to shipping and payment. Please contact us before the auction if you have any questions.
Antique Japanese Katana w/Koshirae. Nice mumei (unsigned) shinogi-zukuri shaped katana with muji hada grain, and a billowing Toran-ba hamon of nioi and nie. It has a chu-kissaki and o-maru boshi with a short turn back. The blade length is 66.7cm or 26-1/4". The tang is ubu with one mekugi-ana hole, and dark brown patina; habaki is copper, and housed in an older shirasaya resting scabbard. It has an older NBTHK white paper from Showa 45(1970) attributing the sword to a school or particular smith. Sword looks to date from the late Shinto or Shin-shinto time period. Condition is very good, the polish probably done around the same time as the paper, and there are a few very light blemishes to the surface, a few very light stains from thin rust that did not pit the surface, and light scratches from going in and out of the saya or mounts. The tang may have been re-patinated. The shirasaya shows old oil stains and tape marks to the outer surface, and has a small split near mouth of the saya. The koshirae consist of a red lacquered saya with mottled black designs in the lacquer, a brass kojiri at the tip with a stippled surface, and carved lines on the bottom, and a blue and brown sageo cord wrapped around the top. There are no shitodome eyelets in the kurikata. There is a pocket for a kozuka on the back side of the saya, but no kozuka is present. The tsuba is iron with a thin shakudo rim that has wave designs and a hawk carved into it, measuring 66mm wide x 74mm tall, ca. 19th Century. There is a kozuka hitsuana on one side of the nakago ana, and two small holes on the other side for a cord. Typically these small holes were to tie a cord through to the saya to prevent the samurai from drawing his sword in haste, and giving him time to think about the consequences! The tsuba is unsigned and shows light rust and evidence of cleaning to the surface. The tsuka is covered in same' ray skin and wrapped with old black silk ito cord, the menuki are gold over copper shi-shi lion dogs. The fuchi is thick and features images of men and pine trees, with gold, silver, and copper highlights. There is a signature on the bottom of the fuchi. The kashira is smooth plain shakudo. The tsuka shows age and soiling to the same' and the ito cord, but the wrapping is sound. The fuchi/kashira show some age and light wear, and light soiling. The menuki show wear to the gold overlay with some areas of copper showing through from use and handling of the sword over time. There is a wooden tsunagi holding the mounts together, that has been refitted to this koshirae. Also included is an older padded silk brocade sword bay with cord. Est.: $2,500-$4,000.