Q485. Wakizashi signed Musashi no Kami Kunitsugu.

Nagasa: 17 7/8″ 45.4 cm.

Sori: .55 cm.

Moto haba: 2.9 cm.

Moto kasane: .6 cm.

Saki haba: 1.85 cm.

Saki kasane: .3 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 5 1/8″ 13.2 cm.

Overall in shirasaya: 27 1/8″ 68.7 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, koshi zori, iore mune, chu kissaki, ubu one hole. The hada is ko-itame with bright ji-nie. The hamon begins as a slanted yaki-dashi and becomes exuberant choji midare with ashi and abundant sunagashi, all in a bright nioi-guchi covered in ko-nie. The boshi is suguba with ko-maru (wsept a bit) and a short kaeri. The blade is flawless; there are no defects of any kind. It is mounted in well made shirasaya with a silver foil habaki, and it is in pristine polish. There is a Tokubetsu Hozon paper from the NBTHK in Tokyo, dated Reiwa Gannen (2019) and attesting to the signature and work, and adding Settsu Province, Enpo Jidai (1673).

The koshirae is mounted with wood tsunagi and habaki. The saya is black lacquer with horn kurikata & koi-guchi, and sageo. There are a few dents in the lacquer but none of it is missing. The seppa are gold foil and none of the gold is torn or missing. The tsuba is shakudo nanako with gold water dragons in waves with gold ten zogan around the edge. This is signed Goto Mitsu X and Kao (I am unable to read the X character; anyone out there know what it is?). The fuchi kashira are shakudo of the finest nanako with gold dragons; the fuchi is signed Hidemoto & Kao. The menuki are gold (probably gilt) dragons coiled around ritual ken. There is a kotsuka of shakudo nanako with a gold dragon; neither the kotsuka nor its kogatana are signed. The koshirae is in excellent condition; except for the dents in the saya there is nothing to tell you about. The shirasaya is in a silkish sword bag and the koshirae in a silk? brocade bag with tassels.

Kunitsugu began his carreer signing Sesshu Ju Kunimitsu; he later chnged his name and received the Musashi Daijo and Kami titles. According to Token Bijutsu by the NBTHK, he was the older brother of Naka Kawachi Kunisuke, the son of Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke. He was adept at forging in choji and his work is not frequently seen.

What a package! Flawless, ubu blade in polish and with Tokubetsu Hozon paper. High quality koshirae in excellent condition. Nothing is missing; nothing is wrong; so much to enjoy. This shouldn’t last long. 2 pounds, 11 ounces. SOLD.