This is a ko-wakizashi that is signed Iga (no) Kami Fujiwara Kinmichi on the omote and a Kiku Mon together with Nihon Kaji Sosho on the ura. This is a small wakizashi slightly larger than a typical “boy’s day” sword. It was very common for Samurai families to present a sword of this size to their sons when they came of age (7-8) years old.
The blade measures 11 11/16 inches or 29.7 cm. The moto-haba is 0.84 inches or 2.1 cm. The saki-haba is 0.65 inches or 1.64 cm. The blade is shinogi zukuri in shape with a suguha hamon which turns back in the yokote with a ko-maru shape and short kaeri. The jigane is a very nice ko-itame with areas of ji-nie forming chikei. It is in excellent polish with no flaws or problems and it comes in a new shirasaya. The blade has not been papered, but it looks like a late generation Kinmichi, possibly 9th or 10 generation from the middle of the 19th century.
What really shines about this offering is the outstanding koshirae that is in pristine condition and original to the sword. This koshirae was made in its entirety by the very well known and respected fittings artist, Shimizu Yoshiaki. Yoshiaki worked around the middle of the 19th century to the later 19th century. He worked in Kyoto, the same area as the smith, Kinmichi. He left dated works from 1861 and 1871. He was a student of Satô Yoshiteru. The tsuba, and the fuchi are both signed in sôsho kanji, Ryounshi Shimizu Yoshiaki (kao). The kozuka is also signed in sôsho kanji and it reads Yoshiaki Tsukuru.
As I indicated this koshirae is in pristine condition and the quality of the workmanship is superb. The koshirae comes with NBTHK Hozon papers verifying the authenticity of the signature and the quality of the workmanship.
PRICE: SOLD
