A wakizashi | Signed Izumi no kami Kaneshige and with gold inlay cutting test inscription | Edo period, 17th century

A wakizashi

Signed Izumi no kami Kaneshige and with gold inlay cutting test inscription

Edo period, 17^th century

Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, slight tori-zori, chu-kissaki

Kitae [forging pattern]: tight flowing itame-hada

Hamon [tempering pattern]: broad notare hamon, nioi based

Boshi [tip]: ko-maru with turnback

Nakago [tang]: ha-agari kurihiri, single mekugi-ana, the ura with gold inlay cutting test inscribed Kanbun gannen uzuki juichi nichi ryosha saidan Yamano Ka’emon Nagahisa (cut through the ryosha line on the 11^th day of the 4^th month in 1661 by Yamano Ka’emon) and kao [cursive monogram]

Habaki [collar]: single clad, oxidised silver on copper, copper inlay 

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard] with sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro

Koshirae [mount]: the black lacquer saya decorated in black hiramaki-e with cloud scrolls, the iron fuchi-kashira carved in low and high relief with coiling dragons among clouds, gilt details, iron sukashi tsuba pierced in foliate form, copper-gilt menuki in the form of tigers, the kojiri with further dragon

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 54.6 cm., 21½ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 2.3 cm., ⅞ in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 3 cm., 1⅛ in.

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation], no.141256 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 8 (1996).