A small tachi-style display or presentation blade | Edo period, 19th century

The Property of a European Collector

A small tachi-style display or presentation blade

Edo period, 19^th century

Sugata [configuration]: shinogi zukuri

Kitae [forging pattern]: faint itame hada

Hamon [tempering pattern]: suguha

Boshi [tip]: chu-kissaki

Nakago [tang]: ubu, mumei, one mekugi-ana

Habaki [collar]: silver, single clad

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: the very fine tachi-koshirae with silver mounts, engraved, hammered and inlaid in gold, the lacquer scabbard with gold hiramaki-e depicting paulownia crests on a scrolling ground

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 40 cm., 15⅞ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 0.6 cm., ¼ in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 1.3 cm., ½ in.