168

Antique Japanese Koto Period Katana with Koshirae and Papers

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,250.00 USD
Antique Japanese Koto Period Katana with Koshirae and Papers
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 Koto Period Katana with Koshirae and Papers. Very nice set of papered blade and koshirae. The katana is a wide shinogi-zukuri-shaped blade with itame and mokume hada, nioi and nie deki gunome choji hamon, chu-kissaki with midarekomi boshi, and prominent visible utsuri. The blade length is 64.5cm (25.4"), fitted with a gold foil over copper and shakudo double habaki. The nakago is suriage mumei with one mekugi-ana. It has an NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho green paper dated Showa 52 (1977) that attributes the blade to "Sukesada", probably a Chu-saku rated smith working in the early 1500s. Mounted in a nice wooden shirasaya resting scabbard. Condition of the blade is very good to excellent, in a nice state of polish, with minor loose hada openings, nice activity within the hamon, and very prominent utusuri. The nakago has a dark brown/black patina with dark rust in some areas. The shirasaya is in very nice condition. There is a Japanese Police torokusho paper with the blade. There is also a full-length oshigata rubbing of the blade that is wrapped in a scroll. The koshirae is very nice, being a handachi style katana mount with smooth, polished, dark black shakudo fittings, a finely textured mottled red lacquer covered saya, with black horn koiguchi and kurikata. There is a woven white sageo cord wrapped around the saya at the kurikata. The tsuba is a round shape, shakudo/nanako featuring a high relief dragon in the clouds motif, with gold and polished shakudo highlights. There is a gold rim around the edge with filed details. There are kozuka and kogai hitsuanas on either side of the nakago ana. It is unsigned and measures 71mm wide x 77.5mm tall. There are four seppas, two solid silver and two gold foil over copper. The tsuka is covered in large nodule same' ray skin that shows nice age toning. The ito is a fine woven string wrap, that makes for an elegant presentation. The menuki are dark shakudo shi-shi lion dogs. The fuchi and kashira are the same smooth black shakudo as the handachi fittings on the saya. They are unsigned. Condition is excellent, showing only light age and use, minor repairs to the string near the bottom of the tsuka, and light oxidation the shakudo fittings. There is some light soiling to the tsuka string wrapping. The saya lacquer is very nice, showing no ding, chips or scratches. The koshirae comes with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho green paper dated Showa 52(1977). There is also a fact sheet from a Japanese dealer dated 2015 on the sword and koshirae. The koshirae comes with a silk brocade storage bag and cord. Overall a very nice package! Est.: $4,500-$6,500.