Q790. Wakizashi signed Awadaguchi Omi no Kami Tadatsuna.

Nagasa:  21″ 53.2 cm.

Sori:  1.1 cm.

Moto haba:  2.9 cm.

Moto kasane:  .6 cm.

Saki haba:  2.1 cm.

Saki kasane:  .4 cm.

Nakago nagasa:  5 7/8″ 14.7 cm.

Overall in shirasaya:  30 1/8″ 76.5 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, koshi zori, iore mune, chu kissaki. The hada is a fine and consistent ko itame covered in bright ji-nie. The hamon begins with a short, angled yakidashi and becomes ko choji, ko gunome, and ko notare in a bright nioi guchi covered in ko-nie, with leggy ashi cut through by sunagashi. There are kinsuji and hotsure. All of this is exactly what is to be expected from this smith. With the exception of a few tiny pin pricks the blade is flawless (in my pictures a few spots here and there appear like more serious defects. These are specks of lint I didn’t notice until after the pictures were taken). It is in a high quality, professional polish with only a few shallow scratches in the mono-uchi, most likely from cutting. There is a gold wash habaki and a very well made shirasaya in excellent condition. This sword comes with a Tokubetsu Hozon paper from the NBTHK in Tokyo, dated 2006 and attesting to the quality, condition, and correctness of the signature.

1st generation Tadatsuna was active in the early to mid 17th century. He began work in Harima, moved to Kyoto, and settled in Osaka, where he establish himself, his descendants, and students as important smiths in the Osaka School. Fujishiro has him rated as Jo-saku. The 2nd generation Tadatsuna worked later in the 17th century and is considered the better of the 2 smiths; he is Jo Jo Saku in Fujishiro. The way the character for Tsuna is cut in the mei of this sword tells us that it is by the 2nd generation.

When beginning collectors bemoan the steep cost of acquiring quality Nihonto I often recommend wakizashi for offering a less painful entry; this one is a prime example. It is quality work from a well respected smith and, if I could add 6 or 7 inches to the length, I could add $6,000 to the price. 2 pounds. $3,950.