A Horikawa Kunihiro School wakizashi | Signed Dewa Daijo Fujiwara Kunimichi | Edo period, 17th century

A Horikawa Kunihiro School wakizashi

Signed Dewa Daijo Fujiwara Kunimichi

Edo period, 17^th century

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

Kitae [forging pattern]: tight ko-itame with thick jinie

Hamon [tempering pattern]: gunome midare with wide nioiguchi, yakigashira, tobiyaki,

Boshi [tip]: slight notare with rounded boshi and turnback

Horimono [carving]: the omote with suken and bonji, the ura with double bohi, one groove wide and one thin

Nakago [tang]: kurijiri, single mekugi-ana

Habaki [collar]: single clad with scalloped edge, copper gilt

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: the fine wakizashi koshirae broadening towards the tip, silvered fittings, applied overall in kinkarakawa [gilt decorated ornamental leather], the fuchi-kashira inlaid in shakudo with rindo mon [gentian crests],the shakudo nanako menuki in the form of cherry blossoms, gilt details, the iron tsuba inlaid in soft metals and gilt with leaves of wild ginger, the bronze kurikata in the form of a shikami [death god], loop handle, gilt and chased and engraved details

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 47.5 cm., 18¾ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 2.5 cm., 1 in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 3.1 cm., 1¼ in.

The blade accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation], no. 101721 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Showa 63 (1988).

The koshirae accompanied by a certificate of registration as Hozon Tosogu [Sword Mount Worthy of Preservation], no. 404721 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Showa 63 (1988).

The menuki accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Kicho Kodogu [Especially Precious Sword Fitting], no. 453 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Showa 53 (1978).