A Mino school tachi | Attributed to Kinju and with kinzogan [gold inlay] inscription | Nambokucho period, 14th century

The Property of a Gentleman

A Mino school tachi

Attributed to Kinju and with kinzogan [gold inlay] inscription

Nambokucho period, 14^th century

Sugata [configuration]: shinogi zukuri, iorimune, toriizori with extended chu-kissaki

Kitae [forging pattern]: itame-masame with o-mokumehada and chikei and dense ji-nie

Hamon [tempering pattern]: ko-midare hamon of nie with much sunagashi

Boshi [tip]: hakikakke boshi

Nakago [tang]: o-suriage nakago, kiri, two mekugi-ana, with kinzogan mei inscribed Kinju

Habaki [collar]: double clad, copper and silver

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: of later date, the black lacquer tachi-koshirae saya with ishimeji ground, decorated in gold hiramaki-e with kuyo mon [Nine Luminaries crest], gilt shakkudo nanako fuchi-kashira, koiguchi, seme and kojiri, similar tachi ashi, Otafuku mokkogata shakudo ishimeji katana tsuba with large hitsuana and etched in low relief with pauwloania, shakudo rim, gilt menuki in the form of further paulownia

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 70 cm., 27½ in.

Sori [curvature]: 0.9 cm., ½ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 1.7 cm., ¾ in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.9 cm., 1⅛ in. 

The tsuba is illustrated back and front.