A BIZEN KATANA ENCASED IN A RAYSKIN KOSHIRAE WITH SHAKUDO, TSUBA, FUCHI-KASHIRA AND MENUKI JAPAN, 19TH CENTURY |

the blade faintly signed Osafune ju; the oval shakudo tsuba with 'orchid' inlay, unsigned; the shakudo Sendai fuchi-kashira, signed Sendai ju Kiyotada; the tsuka (hilt) lacquered simulating baleen, with a pair of shakudo menuki of sho (musical instruments); together with a wood shirasaya (scabbard) (3)