Type: Wakizashi koshirae with kogatana
Length: 34cm nagasa of wooden blade
This is a fine wakizashi koshirae with some very lovely pices on it. The koshirae exhibits a dignified, traditional aesthetic centered around a gorgeous black ishime-ji (stone-texture) lacquer saya with a prominent gilt mon, the Gosan-no-Kiri, or “Five-Seven Paulownia”, a crest historically associated with the Toyotomi clan. The Toyotomi were some of the most important figures in the sengoku period of Japan's history, and this crest brings considerable prestige. The texture of the lacquer is subtly raised and beautifully preserved with only minor age-related wear. A golden-yellow sageo is tied in formal style, adding a noble contrast against the deep lacquer tones. The koiguchi and is a beautifully carved buffalo horn, well-fitted and elegant.
The fittings (koshirae) display tasteful restraint and considerable quality. The fuchi-kashira are of dark shakudō with an extremely fine and well-executed nanako ground, gilt edges, and a crest design in low relief on the kashira. The tsuka is wrapped in black ito in tsumami-maki style over white samegawa, now showing hard wear and several breaks to the wrap along the ha-machi side, but the frayed parts have been lacquered down to prevent further fraying. The menuki are dark shakudō depicting a pair of horses galloping, one partially exposed due to frayed ito.
The tsuba is an openwork brass maru-gata with opposing leaf motifs carved in relief on either side of the central aperture. The carving is simple yet balanced, showing tasteful asymmetry and age-appropriate patina with light oxidation near the nakago-ana.
The kogatana is present and in good condition, bearing a partially legible signature of its maker. The blade itself is housed in an understated gilt copper kozuka, counterbalancing the fine work in the tsuka and saya.
