Koto Katana
S0411
SOLD
An o-suriage koto katana, mounted in Satsuma style koshirae. Shinogizukure, iroi mune, chukissaki, bo hi, o-suriage, four mekugiana. The saki sori is somewhat severe. Hawatare: 2 shaku 1 sun 0 bu 8 rin (63.66 cm / 25.0625 inches) Motohaba: 2.5 cm. Sakihaba: 1.98 cm. Kasane: 3.7mm. Konie deki ko-gunome saka choji midare, togare, areas of notare with gunome choji within. There are wisps of temper above the hamon, some hotsure, and at least on bright kinsuji, nado. I can follow the hamon a little over six and a half inches into the nakago, a little below the double ana. The jigane is hada tatsu, running itame and masame. There is what appear to be large chikei, and I can see what are perhaps hints of utsure. There are a few tate ware, but not a damning problem. NTHK Shinteisho origami attributing the blade to Fujishima school, around Meio Jidai (1492-1501). I believe that with a proper polish this would be elevated from Shinteisho to Kanteisho.
The saya is decent modern replacement. The tsuka wrapped is Satsuma style, without menuki. An excellent deep blue-black shakudo fuchi-kashira of coiled dragon in the clouds. A large Satsuma shakudo tsuba of a dragon and clouds. The shakudo plate is very good, NTHK Kantei sho (70 points). Unfortunately polished shakudo doesn't photograph well for me. NTHK Kanteisho for the Tsuka. A gold foil tachi habaki.
Unfortunately, this was shined up (I can't say polished), by a self proclaimed "art polisher" from Wisconsin, who has a very impressive, if misleading, website. Because the hamon was not properly brought out, rather just treated with acid, I at first dismissed this as a saiba. However the well controlled habuchi prompted me to examine it more closely, to discover gunome choji and ashi, hidden under the heavy acid wash. It looks to be an interesting sword that might benefit from a proper polish.
This is a project, and of course there is always risk, but I think it a good gamble.
Long Chikei
Ashi visible through the painted hamon.
Hamon Continues Past the Machi
NTHK Shinteisho
NTHK Kanteisho
NTHK Kanteisho
