Sugata: Shinogi-Zukuri Iori-mune with shallow tori-zori
Nagasa:. 69.5cm
Motohaba: 2.7cm Sakihaba: 2.0 cm Kasane: 7mm
Hada: details obscured by light abrasion but some nagare visible
Hamon: Narrow suguha in nioi
Kissaki: chu-kissaki with sugu ko-maru boshi.
Nakago: suriage two mekugi ana, signed Bishu Osafune ju Suke…..
Koshirae black silk braid bound same tsuka, good round iron tsuba with tiger (in shakudo and gold) and dragon. Menuki stirrups and riding whip, and harness in gold.
Fuchi kashira in shakudo with golden shishi (fuchi) and blossom in copper silver and gold. Overall good condition
Provenance: purchased in a local UK antique shop 1958.
Lots 992 - 1009 comprise a collection of Japanese edged weapons assembled by the late Mr MacCormick between 1953 and 1963, with one final addition added in 1998. They were all purchased within the UK at local auctions, antique shops or privately. They have never been submitted for shinsa. Within the Collection there is a Daisho (large and small swords) and a good Gendaito from the Showa period.
All of the works are in largely untouched condition and a professional polish would undoubtedly reveal more detail of hada, hamon and boshi. Equally the koshirae include a number of interesting tsuba and small fittings which are worthy of further study and preservation.
Mellors & Kirk gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Paul Bowman in the cataloguing of this collection
