A Bizen katana | Signed Bizen Osafune ju Sukenori | Edo period, 19th century

The Property of an English Collector

A Bizen katana

Signed Bizen Osafune ju Sukenori 

Edo period, 19^th century 

Sugata [configuration]: Shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, funbare, chu-kissaki

Hamon [tempering pattern]: Choji gunome midare with substantial ashi, long yakidashi

Boshi [tip]: Ko-maru with short kaeri

Nakago [tang]: Two mekugi-ana, ha-agiri, yoko yasuri file marks, signed Bizen Osafune ju Sukenori Tomonari gojuroku dai mago (The fifty-sixth descendent of Tomonari, Sukenori Tomonari from Bizen Osafune)

Habaki [collar]: Copper-gilt

Koshirae [mount]: The handachi koshirae inlaid in aogai, the tsuka with black ito, the shakudo mokko-gata tsuba with a nanako ground

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 68.4 cm., 26⅞ in. 

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 1.9 cm., ¾ in. 

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 3 cm., 1⅛ in.

The koshirae: 96.5 cm., 38 in.