Q454. Katana.

Nagasa: 25 1/8″ 63.8 cm.

Sori: 1.6 cm.

Moto haba: 2.7 cm.

Moto kasane: .75 cm.

Saki haba: 1.8 cm.

Saki kasane: >5 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 7 1/2″ 19 cm.

Overall in shirasaya: 36 3/8″ 92 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, ubu one hole, koshi zori, iore mune, chu kissaki. The hada is itame, ko-itame and mukume with chikei. The hamon is suguba with very slight notare, subtle hataraki boiling off the underside into the yakiba, all worked in a bright and consistent nioi guchi covered in ko-nie. The boshi is suguba ending in a swept ko-maru and a short kaeri (note: the boshi gets near the edge. It doesn’t fall off but this may be an indication that the kissaki was tipped a bit and reshaped. It may also be meant to be this way. My last picture is of a quick oshigata I did of the kissaki and boshi, to show you what I see. The current length of the blade matches that on the paper; it must have been this way when the NBTHK issued the paper and they weren’t concerned.). I count 2 pinprick pits in the surface and nothing else. The nakago is, however, more corroded than optimal; not a problem but unfortunate. This sword comes with a copper habaki and mounted in a well made shirasaya with ivory eyelets at the mekugi-ana, in excellent condition except for a short split at the koi-guchi. There is a Hozon paper from the NBTHK in Tokyo dated 1995 and giving this to Shinano no Kami Nobuyoshi

There were 2 generations of Shinano Kami Nobuyoshi working in Yamashiro Province in the latter half of the 17th century. The paper, as is to be expected from the NBTHK, doesn’t specify which they think this is but both are respected smiths, rating Chu Jo Saku in Fujishiro. 2 pounds, 5 ounces. $1,925.