Q540.  O-suriage, mumei katana papered to Tegai Kanezane.

Nagasa:  27 9/16″  70 cm.

Sori:  2.55 cm.

Moto haba:  3 cm.

Moto kasane:  .6 cm.

Saki haba:  1.8 cm.

Saki kasane:  .35 cm.

Nakago nagasa:  6 13/16″  17.3 cm.

Overall in shirasaya:  38 5/16″  97.3 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, koshi sori, iore mune, chu kissaki.  The hada is itame in bright chikei.  The hamon is shallow undulations in suguba with sunagashi and kinsuji, becoming almost nijuba in places, and other small hataraki, all worked in a consistent and clear nioi guchi covered in ko-nie.  The boshi is very much like a san saku boshi, gentle notare, with a slightly swept o-maru and a short kaeri.  The blade is in quality polish and flawless, mounted with a fine gold foil habaki in mint condition and horn capped shirasaya, also mint.

This comes with a paper issued by the NTHK-NPO (Mr. Miyano’s group) dated 2012 and giving it to Tegai Kanezane.  There were 6 generations of Tegai Kanezase, working between the latter half of Nambokucho and late Koto.  A former owner has written “1st generation” on the paper’s envelope, I don’t know if he was told that or if it is just wishful thinking.  I personally see this as having an early sugata, possibly even earlier than mid Nambokucho.  Whatever it is, it is quite well made.  My pictures leave a lot to be desired, I know; this is nice.  2 pounds, 8 ounces.  $500.