A gassaku katana | Signed Yamato no kami Yoshimichi and Tamba no kami Yoshimichi | Edo period, 17th century

A gassaku katana

Signed Yamato no kami Yoshimichi and Tamba no kami Yoshimichi

Edo period, 17^th century

Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, shallow tori-zori, chu-kissaki

Kitae [forging pattern]: dense ko-itame hada with jinie and chikei

Hamon [tempering pattern]: short sugu yakidashi leading into slightly slanting ko-choji midare hamon, fine jinie and bright nioiguchi, tobiyaki and utsuri

Boshi [tip]: hakikake style into round boshi with turnback

Nakago [tang]: kengyo, the yasurime are katte sagari, one mekugi-ana

Habaki [collar]: double clad, gold on copper

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: the red lacquer saya with byakudan-nuri (transparent lacquer on gold leaf) depicting stylised algae (awamo) in an abstract manner, the fine Goto school shakudo-nanako kogai and kozuka carved in high relief with tigers and dragons in battle (ryuko zu), signed Goto Mitsuharu and kao [cursive monogram], Edo period (19^th century), the shakudo and gilt menuki in the form of two entwined three-clawed dragons, the iron mokko-gata tsuba with clouds on a nanako ground, gold bands to the sides chased and engraved with swirling clouds

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 71.2 cm, 28 in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 2.2 cm., ⅞ in.

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

The blade accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation], no. 122755 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 3 (1991).

The koshirae accompanied by a certificate of registration as Hozon Tosogu [Sword Mount Worthy of Preservation], no. 426985 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 4 (1992).

The Goto school kogai and kozuka, accompanied by a certificate of registration as Bunka Shiryo Tosogu [Cultural Material S], no. 2004 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 10 (1998).