A wakizashi | Muromachi period, 16th century |The koshirae Edo period, 19th century

The Property of an English Collection Formed from the 1960s Onwards

A wakizashi 

Muromachi period, 16^th century 

The koshirae Edo period, 19^th century 

Sugata [configuration]: Hira-zukuri, engraved with hi on each face

Kitae [forging pattern]: Masame-hada with some hitatsura

Hamon [tempering pattern]: Notare-midare hamon becoming gunome in places

Boshi [tip]: Midare-komi boshi with kaeri

Nakago [tang]: Ubu, with single mekugi-ana, signed (signature unreadble) on the omote

Habaki [collar]: Two-part copper with gold foil

Koshirae [mount]: The black lacquer koshirae inlaid in mother-of-pearl in Nagasaki style with scattered pine needles, cherry blossoms and nobori [streamer], iron and gilt Namban tsuba, the fuchi with dragon among clouds, the kashira of two karashishi in gilt copper alloy and shakudo, the menuki with karashishi and peonies in gilt copper alloy and shakudo, the kogatana with copper and gilt kozuka of dragons in clouds, 58 cm., 22⅞ in. 

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 35.2 cm, 13⅞ in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.6 cm, 1 in.