An impressive blade by the second generation Sasaki Ippo.  Ubu, signed, Koshu Sasaki Nyu(do) Ippo.  Hirazukure, iroi mune, muzori yoroidoshi.  Hawatare:  6 sun 7.2 bu (18.4 cm or 7.24").  Motohaba:  1.97 cm.   Kasane:  8.5 mm. The hamon is ko nie deki, suguba ko notare, kinsuji, sunagashi, hatarki, nado.  Masame hada , slightly hada tatsu, ji nie, chikei, nado.  The boshi is hakikaki.  The nakago is ubu, one mekugiana, with a nagamei.  Unfortunately, the nakago was rusted, and pitting remains.  The blade itself is very healthy.  In recent polish, mounted in shirasaya, good copper habaki.   He has a sharpness rating of wazamono.  This has not been to shinsa.

Rated Josaku in Fujishiro's Nihon Toko Jiten - Shinto Hen; Jo no Chu Saku in Nihonto Zuikan; Valued at 3,500,000 yen in Tokuno's Toko Taikan, interestingly 500,000 more than the shodai. 

Sasaki Ippo was a smith of Omi province, though he also worked in Edo.   He is of the Omi Ishido ha, the son of the shodai, and worked around Tenna jidai (1681 - 1684).      

784

1860