Beschreibung:

A BIZEN OSAFUNE STYLE KATANA PROBABLY LATE MUROMACHI/MOMOYAMA PERIOD (SECOND HALF 16TH CENTURY), INSCRIBED BIZEN (NO) KUNI OSAFUNE YOSAZAEMONJO SUKESADA SAKU Configuration ( sugata ): with longitudinal ridge line ( shinogi-zukuri ), shallow peaked back ( iori-mune ) and medium point ( chu-kissaki ); length ( nagasa): 2 shaku, 5 sun, 9 bu (70.3 cm.); curvature ( sori): koshi-zori of 1.7 cm.; decrease in width of blade ( fumbari ): 1.0 cm. Forging pattern ( jihada ): wood grain ( itame ) with extensive ji-nie . Tempering pattern ( hamon ): small irregular patterns ( ko-midare ) with some clove patterns ( choji ) and 'swept sands' ( sunagashi ), mainly in the monouchi , executed in bright ko-nie and nie ; scattered patches muneyaki . Point ( boshi ): brushed ( hakikake ). Tang ( nakago ) shape ( keitai ): slender, tapering, ubu and with a dry, brown patina; end ( nakagojiri ): ha-agari kuri-jiri ; holes ( mekugi-ana ): one; signature ( mei ), inscribed ( gimei ); Bizen (no) Kuni Osafune Yosazaemonjo Sukesada saku; date ( jidai): Eiroku 3-nen 2-gatsu hi (a day in the 2nd month of Eiroku 3 [1560]). [A few superficial rust stains and light scratches.] Handachi koshirae comprising: a black ishime saya (some dents, scratches and cracks); iron tsuba molded with sages and a bullock amidst mountains, shakudo highlights, inscribed Somin , 18th Century; green-wrapped tsuka fitted with Goto style shakudo and gilt menuki of flowers, fruits and mice, Muromachi Period, 16th Century; Mino Goto style shakudo nanako kogai set with a gilt dragon, unsigned, 18th Century; all remaining Yanagawa style mounts ( fuchi-kashira, koiguchi, uragawara, kurikata, kojiri ) in shakudo nanako and set in shakudo and gilt with shishi and botan , unsigned, 18th Century---length of koshirae 100 cm., length of tsuka 26 cm., length of kogai 21 cm., height of tsuba 8 cm. Silk brocade storage bag.