A katana | Signed Moritaka saku (made by Moritaka) | Muromachi period, late 15th century

Property from an Important Private Collection

A katana

Signed Moritaka saku (made by Moritaka)

Muromachi period, late 15^th century

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

Kitae [forging pattern]: tight and pronounced koitame-hada, some utsuri in the jigane

Hamon [tempering pattern]: suguha with hotsure in nie

Boshi [tip]: ko-maru with turnback

Nakago [tang]: ubu, kengyo, two mekugi ana, signed Moritaka saku (made by Moritaka)

Habaki [collar]: single clad, copper-gilt chased and engraved

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Koshirae [mount]: of later date, the lacquer scabbard with tachi-style mounts, decorated in gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e on a sprinkled mother-of-pearl ground with maru ni narabi ya [encircled side-by-side arrow crests], shakudo-nanako fittings, the gilt shakudo-nanako menuki in the form of three further maru ni narabi ya

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 71.2 cm., 28 in.

Sori [curvature]: 1.5 cm., ⅝ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 2 cm., ¾ in.

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

The katana accompanied by certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation], no. 1005086 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 28 (2016). 

The sword mount accompanied by certificate of registration as Hozon Tosogu [Sword Mount Worthy of Preservation], no. 4012284 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 29 (2017).