Q810. Katana in koshirae. Signed, Oite Toyama Mitsuru O teinai Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu….Made at the estate of Toyama Mitsuru by Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu. Showa Ju Ni Nen Hachi Gatsu Hi .. A day in August of 1937.

Nagasa: 25 7/8″  65.5 cm.

Sori:  1.3 cm.

Moto haba:  3.45 cm.

Moto kasane:  .7 cm.

Saki haba:  2.2 cm.

Saki kasane:  .4 cm.

Nakago nagasa:  8 3/8″ 21.2 cm.

Overall in koshirae:  38 5/8″ 98.1 cm.

The hada is a tight and fine ko-itame. The hamon is a gently undulating suguba in a bright and consistent nioi-guchi covered in ko-nie, with nie spilling off the hamon into the ji: a bit of hotsure. The boshi is approaching jizo on the omote and is o-maru on the ura, with a short kaeri. The blade is flawless, in a quality polish, and mounted with a solid silver habaki.

The koshirae is in excellent condition. Black lacquer saya with a multi colored band of lacquer at the top (nice touch). The kojiri is iron with silver inlaid dragons; koi-guchi and kurikata are horn. The tsuba is kiku-gata (chrysamthemum) in iron. The fuchi/kashira are iron with gold & silver inlay. The menuki appear to be shakudo with gold & silver. The handle wrap is perfectly intact and there are no chips or cracks in the saya lacquer.

Ikkansai Kasama Shigetsugu was an important swordsmith in the Taisho and Showa Eras. He was born April 1, 1886 in Shizuoka. His given name was Kasama Yoshikazu and he began study of sword making in 1899, with his uncle Miyaguchi Shigetoshi. In 1903 he moved to Tokyo, studying with Morioka Masayoshi and entering the Tokiwa-Matsu Token Kenkyu-sho.

In 1932 Shigetsugu became the master swordsmith of the Nihonto Tanren Denshusho, on the estate of Kurihara Hikosaburo (Akihide). He later made swords at the forge on the estate of Toyama Mitsuru,the founder of the Black Dragon Society. He died at age 80 in 1966.

Nice sword, nice koshirae, Black Dragon Society: what’s not to like? 3 pounds, 4 ounces. $5,895.