AN ECHIZEN SCHOOL WAKIZASHI
EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY)
Configuration [ sugata ]: hira-zukuri, mitsu-mune with shallow curvature
Forging pattern [ kitae ]: itame with some ji-nie
Tempering pattern [ hamon ]: chu-sugu-ha with nioi
Point [ boshi ]: kaeri-fukai
Tang [ nakago ]: funagata with kengyo -shape tip, unshortened ( machi-okuri ), tapering with two holes
Length from tip to beginning of tang [ nagasa ]: 31.7 cm.; curvature xx cm.; width at start of tempered edge 3 cm.; width before tip 1.6 cm.
Collar [ habaki ]: gilt bronze craved with flower and grass
Carving [ horimono ]: on the omote a kurikara , on the ura a sword and Sanskrit bhrum
In shirasaya (wood storage scabbard) with attestation by Sato Kan"ichi (1907-1978) for the sword
Mounting [ koshirae ]: Black lacquer ribbed aikuchi koshirae wakizashi scabbard , iron fuchi-kashira and sayajiri finely carved and inlaid in gold and shakudo with a crab on lotus leaf by river, signed Isso with cursive monogram ( kao ) and sealed Yazuki; iron, gold and shibuichi menuki of hazy moon and man on boat, tsuka in ray skin; iron kozuka inlaid in gold, shakudo and shibuichi with flying geese, signed Edo ju Omura Kaboku; 48.5 cm.
The mounting accompanied with Tokubetsu kicho shodogu certificate, issued by Nihon bijutsu token hozon kyokai, 23 January (no. 171); the sword had a Tokubetsu kicho token certificate, 26 February 1976 (no. 321290), now missing