Q476. Katana signed Iyo no Daijo Tachibana Katsukuni.

Nagasa: 25 7/8″ 65.7 cm.

Sori: 1.1 cm.

Moto haba: 3.2 cm.

Moto kasane: .65 cm.

Saki haba: 2.3 cm.

Saki kasane: .5 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 8 5/8″ 23 cm.

Overall in shirasaya: 37″ 94 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, maybe 6 or 7 cm suriage, koshi zori, iore mune, chu kissaki. The hada is ko itame with pronounced masame and faint ji-nie. The hamon is gunome with pointed elements that look very much like the sanbon-suji of Seki Kanemoto, with a bit of sunagashi and ashi in ko-nie at the tani (bottoms of the valleys). The boshi is a continuation worked smaller of the hamon, ending in ko-maru and a short to medium kaeri. The sword is flawless: no defects to mention. There is a well done sashi komi polish that has been signed with a burnishing pen by the polisher under the habaki (see my picture with the white X). This is mounted with a silver foil habaki and competently made shirasaya in great condition.

There were multiple generations of Katsukuni working in Kaga, starting at the very beginning of Shinto: the 1st 3 had the Iyo Daijo title. Token Bijutsu by the NBTHK ties them to the Echizen Seki School and Yushuto Zuroku by the NTHK has them in the Darani School. Either way, the 1st 2 generations are thought to be the leading smiths of Mino Shinto. Fujishiro has the shodai (1st) at Jo Saku and the nidai (2nd) at Chu Jo Saku, but Nihonto Koza, I believe it was, says the nidai was the better of the 2: go figure. The longer I look at this one the more I find to appreciate. It is very difficult to pull off flawless masame; it happened here. You should be pleased. 2 pounds, 12 ounces. $2,795.