An Echizen wakizashi | Signed Nanban tetsu Echizen Yasatsugu Bushu Edo ni oite kore o tsukuru (made in Edo, Bushu [Musashi] Province, using imported foreign iron by Yasutsugu from Echizen) and with aoi mon [crest of stylised wild ginger leaves] | The blade Edo period, early 17th century, The koshirae, 19th century

Property from an Important Private Collection

An Echizen wakizashi

Signed Nanban tetsu Echizen Yasatsugu Bushu Edo ni oite kore o tsukuru (made in Edo, Bushu [Musashi] Province, using imported foreign iron by Yasutsugu from Echizen) and with aoi mon [crest of stylised wild ginger leaves]

The blade Edo period, early 17^th century, The koshirae, 19^th century

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

Kitae [forging pattern]: Flowing itame hada, mokume in places

Hamon [tempering pattern]: Suguha with some midare in niedeki and faint sunagashi

Boshi [tip]: Hakikake style  

Horimono [carvings]: The omote with the Buddhist deity Fudo Myo-o, the ura with suken and bonji [Sanskrit characters]

Nakago [tang]: Iriyamagata, one mekugi-ana, signed on the omote Nanban tetsu Echizen Yasutsugu and on the ura Bushu Edo ni oite kore o tsukuru (made in Edo, Bushu [Musashi] Province, using imported foreign iron by Yasutsugu from Echizen) and with aoi mon [crest of stylised wild ginger leaves]

Habaki [collar]: Gold, double clad 

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: The saya [scabbard] sprinkled in aogai and inlaid in shell with stylised chidori, the associated mounts in fine nanako shakudo and gilt, the fuchi-kashira, kogai and kozuka decorated with plum blossoms in takabori [high relief], the menuki in the form of sprigs of plum, the round tsuba with scattered cherry blossoms

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 48 cm., 19 in. 

Sori [curvature]: 1.1 cm., ½ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 1.8 cm., ¾ in. 

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.7 cm., 1⅛ in.