AS21625 Katana:Mutsu Kami Fujiwara Toshinaga

Ordering number: AS21625
Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature :Mutsu Kami Fujiwara Toshinaga
陸奥守藤原歳長
Tenna Gannen 11 Gatsu Kichijitsu
(A Lucky day in November, 1615.)
天和元年十一月吉日

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Saijyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Habaki :　Gold and copper colored double habaki.
Blade length:71.51cm or 28.14 inches.
Sori:2.06cm or inches.
Mekugi:1
Width at the hamachi:3.51cm or 1.38inches.
Width at the Kissaki:2.45cm or 0.96inches.
Kasane:0.81cm or 0.31inches.
The weight of sword:952grames
Era: The Edo period, November of Genna 1(1615)
Shape: The blade is broad and thick, has deeper Sori and longer Kissaki. Well-shaped.
Jigane: Well-grained Itame-hada, Jinie is attached, Jigane becomes bright and smooth.
Shinogi-ji: Not large Shinogi-ji, Itame hada and Mokume-hada get close together very well. Hadame looks like rather Masame.
Hamon: Niedeki, deep Nioikuchi, there are uneven changes, Sunagashi and Kinsuji work well: well-made. Boshi is Midarekomi style and becomes disordered in a small circle.

Special feature: A sword smith originally from Awa Tokushima, who moved to Yamashiro Horikawa later　and was called Nimura Gizaemon. His first name was Koji and later he changed it to Yamashiro Kami Saicho. We can feel the strength of the sword with solidness and confirm the greatness of this sword by deeper Sori and longer Kissaki: totally great Katana.

Koshirae:
Tsuba: Patterns of dragon are engraved with gold color. There dragon is engraved with Takabori method.
Fuchikashira: On Shakudo-Nanako plate, dragon is engraved with black color. On copper plate, with Shakudo color. On copper plate, with gold Shakudo color.
Saya: Originally black, but looks red because of age deterioration.

From Aoi Art: Truly a powerful, solid, and nice sword. The blade is broad and thick, has deeper Sori and longer Kissaki. The blade is really in a healthy condition. It is historically favorable that we have back signature left. Koshirae is also well-made with its dragon engraving.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper: whole Oshigata.