AS21630 Wakizashi: Bishu Osafune Katsumitsu

Ordering number : AS21630
Wakizashi in Shirasaya with Koshirae.(NBTHK Hozon Token)

Signature :　Bishu Osafune Katsumitsu
Eisho 3 Nen 2 Gatsuhi

Sue koto: Saijyo saku: Ryo wazamono: Bizen.
(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Jyo Jyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Habaki :　Gold color single habaki.
Blade length : 58.9 cm or 23.18 inches.
Sori : 2.2 cm or 0.86 inches.
Mekugi : 3
Width at the hamachi : 2.74 cm or 1.07 inches.
Kasane : 0.68 cm or 0.26 inches.
The weight of the sword: 490grams.
Era : Muromachi period Eisho era.
Shape : Katate Uchi style which is easy to moving around sword.
The blade is regular width and thickness
with deep sori and general shape Kissaki.
Jigane : Koitame hada and komokume hada mixed very
well texture like ouei bizen Jigane and utsuri appear.
Hamon :Nie deki choji midare and gunome midare mixed with sunagashi,
small kinsuji work. Bo-shi is midrekomi style.

Special feature: The founder of Bishu Osafune Katsumitsu started
Ouei era to Eisyo. We can say that This blade is later generation
because of the Uramei which is mentioned as Eisyoera.
It is said at Bunmei era, Japan exported a lot of Japanese swords
to China. He was a son of Rokuro zaemon Sukemitsu
and called Ukyo suke Katsumitsu and his young brither
Munemitsu is also quite well known sword smith.
This blade is called shiireuchi but both the Hamon
and also Jigane are quite well done.

Koshirae:
Saya : Brown color Saya.
Fuchikashira:On the syakudo plate, a shish dog is engraved with gold color.
Tsuba :Oval shape iron Tsuba, some designe is engraved: Sadahiro.
Menuki : Nice syakudo plate a shihsi dog is engraved.

From Aoi Art : Recently it is rather difficult to obtain nice Choji midare hamon Katsumitsu. This sword is called Katateuchi style sword.
At late Muromachi period, Samurais were battling on the ground not
hose riding battle. So it was necessary to move the sword more easily.
so more essay to moving around swords are used for battling.
This sword is also made for this purpose which is small size Nakago
and small length of swords with deep sori.
Katsumitsu is well known sword makers until Eisyo era which was judge
as Saijyo sku ranking on the book To-Ko jiten.
Even if the blade is not Zokumyo chi
but the blade is high ranking sword as sama as Zokumyo chi sword.

NBTHK Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper: whole Oshigata.