A Yamato Tegai school wakizashi | Attributed to Monju | Muromachi period, 15th century

Property from an Important Private Collection

A Yamato Tegai school wakizashi 

Attributed to Monju 

Muromachi period, 15^th century 

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

Kitae [forging pattern]:  Pronounced ko-itame hada with jinie

Hamon [tempering pattern]: A rich nioikuchi suguha in niedeki with nijuba, yo, sunagashi and extended kinsuji

Boshi [tip]: Nioikuchi in hakikake [brushstroke] style

Nakago [tang]: Ha-agari jiri, one mekugi-ana, mumei

Habaki [collar]: Copper, single clad

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard] with sayagaki attestation by Hon'ami Yasaburo attributing the blade to Yamato no kuni Kaneyoshi 

Koshirae [mount]: The lacquered wood saya [scabbard] carved in low and high relief with dragons among swirling clouds and key fret patterns, associated fuchi-kashira [hilt-band and pommel] with cloud and uroko patterns, the wood kozuka with a coiled dragon in gilt, the circular iron tsuba chased and engraved with a further dragon among clouds

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 45.7 cm., 18 in. 

Sori [curvature]: 1.5 cm., ⅝ in. 

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

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.5 cm., 1 in. 

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Hozon Token [Sword Worthy of Preservation], no. 3024198 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Reiwa 2 (2020).