Mino Koto Katana Satsuma Koshirae
S0271
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An o-suriage Mino Seki katana in Satsuma koshirae. Hawatare: 2 shaku 3 sun 9 bu (72.4 cm or 28.5"). Motohaba: 3.34 cm. Sakihaba: 2.47 cm. Kasane: 6.7 mm. Shinogizukure, iroi mune, sakizori, extended chu kissaki. The hamon is sanbonsugi in nioi with the peaks becoming softer and extending up toward the shinogi. There is some crab claw, and tobiyaki remaining close to the hamon. The jigane is a strong masame with straight chikei patterns. There is a fairly strong midare utsure, which bespeaks of its quality. The hamon becomes suguba in the kissaki, and the boshi is a komaru. I believe that the blade was shortened just under 7 cm. Unfortunately, the blade was shipped without a mekugi, allowing a small chip at the point. This is a minor repair, costing a couple of hundred dollars.
The koshirae argues for decapitating the person who made the jungle cover, though they are probably already long dead. A wonderful Satsuma spiral ribbed red and black saya, that had the large Satsuma kojiri removed and replaced with a low grade iron piece. Seventy years ago someone made a few extra yen stealing the piece. It will be a job, but a proper kojiri should be hunted down, and the saya restored. The tsuba is a small Satsuma guard signed Kunihiro Saku, 6.87 cm x 6.15 cm x 4.2 mm. The tsuka is you basic WWII gunto.
