Lot Essay
The fuchi-kashira resembles the work of Hirado Kunishige, while the white metal fittings comprising kojiri, kozuka and uragawara are probably commercial additions
Details
A KO-WAKIZASHI, the blade hiraukuri, iorimune and almost musori, with vajra-hilted ken and bonji on omote and futasuji-bi on ura, itame hada and midare hamon (point chipped, edge ground down at halfway), ubu nakago signed Bishu ju Mitsushige sakue and dated Oan yonen (1371), 29.7cm.; with a striated red lacquer scabbard decorated with maple leaves sprinkled in hirame and powdered shell, signed Seikawa; with a shibuichi kojiri, hanashi menuki formed as quail and chrysanthemums, iron fuchi-kashira with autumn plants in snow-heap roundels, and a shibuichi tsuba depicting chidori in flight; and an aikuchi tanto, the blade thick takenokozori and iorimune with itame hada and midare hamon of ko-nie, slightly suriage nakago with four mekugi-ana, signed Tsunaie, probably 18th/19th century, 23.2cm. long; in roironuri saya with gold hiramakie clouds, dragon saya kanamono, fuchi-kashira and menuki, and with later sahari fittings (2)