Type: Broken Wakizashi Signature: 備前長船祐光 - Bizen Osafune Sukemitsu (Made by Sukemitsu of Osafune City, Bizen Province) Period: Muromachi (ca. 1590) Length: nagasa 3.6cm remaining Polish: heavily worn, rusted tang Condition: blade fractured near the machi, intact koshirae
The blade remnant of this wakizashi retains a visibly aged patina, with a torch cut destroying the blade immediately above the machi. The nakago (tang) bears the signature 備前長船祐光, as well as kesho yasurime that have largely been obscured by oxidation. The village of Osafune burned in 1590, making this piece predate the calamity, placing it squarely in the muromachi period.
The koshirae presents a complete and attractive mounting. The tsukamaki remains tight but shows darkening and fray at the edges. The tsuba is an iron maru-gata form with simple inlaid brass ginkgo leaf motifs; The fuchi-kashira are a beautiful set depicting flowers in bloom. The curvature and proportion of the saya correspond to a compact wakizashi, suggesting a blade of roughly 40–45 cm before breakage.
