N108. Katana signed Oite Omiya Hachiman-gu Atari Unryushi Minamoto Morikuni Saku, and dated A day in February 1945 at shrine, as a shadow sword (Kageuchi).

Nagasa: 26 1/8″ 66.3 cm.

Sori: 1.8 cm.

Moto haba: 3.3 cm.

Moto kasane: .85 cm.

Saki haba: 2.3 cm.

Saki kasane: .6 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 8 3/8″ 21.2 cm.

This is a bit of an odd duck; it used to have something else on the nakago but whatever it was was filed off and what is here now replaced it.  As I understand it: Kageuchi can be translated as shadow sword.  When a smith is to make a sword for a shrine he typically makes extra blades (maybe 3 in total).  The customer then chooses the one he wants the shrine to receive and the others are the shadows.  Maybe this blade was originally going to be the shrine sword and at some point the decision was changed necessitating the mei removal and replacement.  Or maybe there is another explanation.

Whatever the truth, an authority on Gendai has seen this sword, tells me he knows who the smith was, and has pronounced it legitimate.

It looks like someone has buffed the polish; it is very difficult to see much of what is here.  I can see a wide suguba and not much else.  There are no chips in the edge and I see no kizu.  The blade comes with only its habaki and a steel Army Shin Gunto saya.  The saya has a couple dents in it and these prevent the sword from going all the way in.  This will require a proper polish before it can truely be appreciated.

3 pounds 7 ounces.  800.