Ordering Number:23792

Katana in Shirasaya (the 67th　NBTHK Juyo Token)
with Koshirae (NBTHK Tokubetus Hozon Tosogu)

Signature :
Bishu □□ (illegible) (Bishu Osafune Masamitsu 備州長船政光)
備州□□
　
Sayagaki By Mr.Tanobe:
Bizen Koku Osafune　Masamitsu
This sword has a six-character signature on the lower half of the tang, which is partially illegible. However, the style and workmanship strongly suggest that it was made by Masamitsu.
The mixture of itame and mokume hada, round gunome hamon, characteristic of this smith, with strong nie and yubashiri shows his style of the late Nanbokucho period.
length: 2 shaku 2 sun 4 bu and a half written by Tanzan(written seal mark)

Blade Length: 2 shaku 2 sun 4 bu han
Written by Mr. Tanobe.

We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku.
This piece is ranked as Saijyo Saku for Bizen Osafune Masamitsu.

Habaki: Gold-foiled double
Blade Length: 68.2 cm (26.85 in)
Curvature: 1.8 cm (0.71 in)
Mekugi Holes: 2
Width at Base: 2.65 cm (1.04 in)
Width at Tip: 1.90 cm (0.75 in)
Thickness: 0.67 cm (0.26 in)
Era: Late Nanbokucho period, circa 1400

Shape: slender and thick Tachi blade.
Jigane: intense Itame hada paritially mixed with Mokume.
Hamon: Bright nioiguchi with small gunome midare mixed with pointed gunome. Features ashi, yo, yubashiri, and long sunagashi. The boshi is small and rounded with a slight return.

Features: Osafune Masamitsu was an apprenteice of Kanemitsu and worked until around the Oei period. He made many swords with saki-zori tanto and long tanto, and also produced blades with gunome choji and suguha hamon, as well as Kanemitsu-style carvings.

Koshirae(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu)
Whole length : about 98 cm (38.5 in)
Saya : Gold color Nashiji, Kiri Mon and Sanhiki ryo Mon with Makie.
Tsuka: Black color, coverd with Kinran cloth.
Fittings: Kiri Mon and Sanhiki ryo Mon design unsigned
Menuki : Kiri Mon and Sanhiki ryo Mon design unsigned
Tsuba : Kiri Mon and Sanhiki ryo Mon design unsigned

the 67th　NBTHK Juyo Token
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Paper for Koshirae
Aoi Art estimation paper
whole oshigata

Price: 4,850,000 JPY-.

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