Q883. Wakizashi signed Sagami no Kami Fujiwara Hidetsugu.

Nagasa: 20 3/16″  51.3 cm.

Sori: .8 cm.

Moto haba: 2.8 cm.

Moto kasane: .7 cm.

Saki haba: 1.8 cm.

Saki kasane: .35 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 5″  12.9 cm.

Overall in koshirae: 27 1/4″  69 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, koshi sori, iore mune, chu kissaki. The hada is a very fine ko-itame. The hamon is notare, gumome, and a bit of choji, with sunagashi, hotsure, and a bit of kinsuji, all in a consistent and bright nioi-guchi covered in bright ko-nie. The boshi is nearly ichimai (covering the kissaki) ending in ko-maru and a medium length kaeri. The blade is in polish and it is flawless. The habaki is a 2 piece silver plated copper.

The mounts – handachi style – are en suite: fuchi, kabuto gane, kurikata, and kojiri are all iron with gold inlay. The iron tsuba is signed Kunihiro.  The menuki are shakudo. The tsuka-ito is a bit rubbed in spots but not in danger of coming undone. The saya is lacquered; I see 3 cracks in the lacquer but none of it is missing. There are sleeves for kotsuka and kogai but these are missing. I would say the koshirae is not perfect but not detracting either: it presents well.

I was unable to learn much about Sagami no Kami Hidetsugu in my books. I show this sword’s mei next to a listing in Nihonto Zuikan; it matches just fine. 1704 is a date given for the smith and he signed also with Hidetoshi. A well made sword in polish and in koshirae: a lot to appreciate. 2 pounds. $2,495.