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A suriage katana signed, Kuni ___, and dated Eisho ju nana / (1520). While the sho (masa) kanji is an atypical writing, being Muromachi, Eisho is the only nengo that can accommodate seventeen years. Hawatare: 2 shaku 1 sun 0 bu 2 rin (63.7 cm / 25.078"). Motohaba: 2.76 cm. Sakihaba: 1.79 cm. Kasane: 6.2 mm. When ubu, this sword was approximately 71 cm, or about 28 inches. Gunome notare, and gunome togare, midare, becoming smaller gunome with vertical ashi approaching the monouchi, which becomes suguba with kogunome and ashi within. The the hamon in the kissaki almost reached the koshinogi, but scuffing makes it impossible to see the shape of the boshi. The jigane is an itame, but the faded condition of the blade precludes a more concise description. There is some opening on one side of the blade, the worst id shown below, but some thin ware extend a bit further. The shape of the nakago indicates that this had been mounted in Kyugunto koshirae, which no longer accompanies this bare blade.
This an interesting reference piece in that the date is so strangely written, and to date, I have not been able to decipher the second kanji in the name. Nor has a very experienced Japanese dealer, who is currently researching the mei. So this is interesting on an academic level, or perfect for the new collector who wants a 495 year old blade, or for the martial artist, willing to invest in koshirae.
I am sending pictures and oshigata to Tanobe Sensei, so hopefully there will be a reference to this smith in future books. $750