Q489. Wakizashi signed Bitchu no Kami Tachibana Yasuhiro and on the ura is carved a kikumon.

Nagasa: 17 3/4″ 45 cm.

Sori: .65 cm.

Moto haba: 3.2 cm.

Moto kasane: .7 cm.

Saki haba: 2.3 cm.

Saki kasane: .5 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 5 1/4″ 13.4 cm.

Overall in shirasaya: 25 1/2″ 64.7 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, iore mune, shallow tori zori, chu kissaki, ubu one hole. The hada is ko-itame. The hamon begins in an angled suguba and becomes wide and complex varieties of choji midare (quite fun) with ashi and yo; there is midare utsuri. The boshi is suguba with ko-maru and a short kaeri. There is a long running masame in the mune above the machi (pictured); otherwise the blade is flawless. Other than for a scuff either side under the habaki (double shakudo) the sashi komi polish is intact. Sashi komi was a great choice for this sword; kesho may have obscurred some of the riotous choji. There is a quality shirasaya in great condition.

The koshirae are mounted to a wooden tsunagi with wood habaki. The saya is ribbed black lacquer (no cracks, chips or any other damage) with horn at the kojiri, koi guchi, and kurikata. There is a sleeve in the saya for kotsuka/kogatana, which have gone missing. The tsuba is iron signed Goshu Ju Tokitoshi (this would benefit from a bit of fussing). The fuchi is shakudo with gold ten zogan in a Mino style; the kashira is horn. The menuki are shakudo, gold, & silver: floral. The same’ and tsuka-ito are in excellent condition.

The blade comes with a Hozon paper from the NBTHK in Tokyo, dated 2000 and attesting to the signature and work. Yasuhiro was a smith in the Kii Ishido school. There were 4 generations with the Bitchu no Kami title, the 1st working around Kanbun (1661). Nice sword with a wild choji hamon and koshirae: nice set. 2 pounds, 12 ounces. $2,750.