A katana | Signed Kashu ju Fujiwara Ietada (Fujiwara Ietada, a resident of Kaga Province) | Edo period, 17th century

Property from an Important Private Collection

A katana 

Signed Kashu ju Fujiwara Ietada (Fujiwara Ietada, a resident of Kaga Province)

Edo period, 17^th century 

Sugata [configuration]: Shinogi zukuri, shallow tori-zori with chu-kissaki

Kitae [forging pattern]: Ko-itame hada with jinie

Hamon [tempering pattern]: Suguha nioiguchi and niedeki from the hamachi, then undulating gunome midare with ashi and yo

Nakago [tang]: Ha-agari kurijiri with one mekugi-ana, signed Kashu ju Ietada (Ietada of Kashu Province)

Habaki [collar]: Gold, single mount

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: Of later date, the black ishime lacquer with raised polished camelia leaves, gilt dragon menuki, iron fuchi [collar], kojiri [chape], koiguchi [scabbard collar] and kurikata [cord holder] all decorated with low relief silver and gilt butterflies, shakudo kogai, iron kashira [pommel] with gilt dragon, menuki in the form of a gilt dragon, mokko-gata iron tsuba with high relief silver dragon

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 67.3 cm., 26½ in. 

Sori [curvature]: 1.1 cm., ½ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 1.9 cm., ¾ in.  

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

The katana accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation], no. 1012518 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Reiwa 1 (2019). 

The koshirae also accompanied by a certificate of registration as Hozon Tosogu [Sword Mounting Worthy of Preservation], no. 4014595 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 30 (2018).