Q408. Ubu (unshortened) wakizashi signed, Yokoyama Kozuke Daijo Fujiwara Sukesada, and on the ura, Bishu Osafune Junin.

Nagasa: 17 1/8″ 43.3 cm.

Sori: 1.4 cm.

Moto haba: 2.6 cm.

Moto kasane: .7 cm.

Saki haba: 1.8 cm.

Saki kasane: .5 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 5″ 13 cm.

Overall in koshirae: 27 1/4″ 69.5 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, koshi sori, iore mune, chu kissaki. The hada is tight ko-itame with a few more prominent mokume. The hamon begins with a straight yaki-dashi and becomes a deeply undulating midare with choji, juka chiji, and yo, all worked in a consistent nioi-guchi with the slightest hint of ko-nie. The boshi is suguba ending in a swept o-maru and short kaeri. The sword comes mounted with an elaborate gold foil habaki and, with the exception of a few minor instances of slightly coarse grain, it is flawless. This sword comes with a Hozon paper from the NBTHK in Tokyo, dated 1991 and attesting to the signature and quality of work. The polish is intact except for one spot.

The koshirae also is papered, NBTHK Hozon from 1991, and is near pristine. A former owner had the paper translated; I will take from that for the details to follow. The black lacquer saya (kuro roiro nuri saya) is intact except for a bit of chipping at the pocket for kotsuka. There is a shakudo nanako kogai with gold, silver, & shakudo inlay: bird and boat. There is no kotsuka. The iron tsuba has gold, silver, and copper inlay. The paper says: Hotei karashu zu (design of Hotei, Fortune Man) tate-maru shape, iron sukai style, takabori iroe, signed Kakujyorin Keirin-Sai Fujiwara Tadayuki / Koreo Kiru (Shinshinto period tsuba, smith in Hikone Soten influence and copy). There are 2 gold foil seppa, one of which is missing a bit of the foil. The fuchi kashira are Soten School also. The menuki are gold filled dragons and the handle wrap is in mint condition. The sword will arrive in a blue & gold silk brocade bag, also in fine condition.

Kozuke Daijo Sukesada was born in 1633, he received his title in 1664, and he passed on in 1721. According to the Nihonto Koza, he was the most famous of the Edo period smiths who signed Sukesada. This is a nicely mounted wakizashi by a well respeced smith and in excellent condition: a lot to like. 2 pounds, 4 ounces. $3,950.