{"product_id":"antique-japanese-katana-sword-with-handachi-koshirae-and-gold-inlaid-iron-tsuba-mumei","title":"Antique Japanese Katana Sword with Handachi Koshirae and Gold-Inlaid Iron Tsuba, Mumei","description":"\u003csection class=\"product\"\u003e\u003cheader\u003e\u003c\/header\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"specs\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature (Mei):\u003c\/strong\u003e Mumei (無銘) - unsigned\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Katana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod (estimated):\u003c\/strong\u003e Muromachi Period - estimated from workmanship; the blade carries no NBTHK paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRegistration:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kagawa Tōroku-shō No. 7334 (issued Shōwa 34 \/ 1959; reissued Heisei 31 \/ 2019)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMounting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Handachi (半太刀) koshirae - iron fittings with gold inlay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBlade Length (Nagasa):\u003c\/strong\u003e 63.9 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurvature (Sori):\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.6 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMekugi-ana:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shinogi-zukuri with iori-mune and chū-kissaki\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJihada:\u003c\/strong\u003e Itame, well forged\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHamon:\u003c\/strong\u003e Notare-gunome midare, bright nioiguchi with ko-nie\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBoshi:\u003c\/strong\u003e Midare-komi with ko-maru turnback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003eKatana\u003c\/strong\u003e is a \u003cstrong\u003emumei\u003c\/strong\u003e (unsigned) antique Japanese blade, offered on the strength of the steel itself and dressed in a handsome \u003cstrong\u003ehandachi koshirae\u003c\/strong\u003e. It is registered in Japan under a Kagawa \u003cem\u003etōroku-shō\u003c\/em\u003e (sword registration, first issued 1959) - the licence granted only to blades recognised as genuine traditionally-made Japanese swords.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sugata is a clean \u003cem\u003eshinogi-zukuri\u003c\/em\u003e with \u003cem\u003eiori-mune\u003c\/em\u003e and a \u003cstrong\u003echū-kissaki\u003c\/strong\u003e, measuring \u003cstrong\u003e63.9 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e with a \u003cstrong\u003e1.6 cm sori\u003c\/strong\u003e - compact, well-balanced proportions. The \u003cem\u003enakago\u003c\/em\u003e is unsigned and carries two \u003cem\u003emekugi-ana\u003c\/em\u003e, the record of remounting over a long working life. The blade is healthy and brightly polished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interest here is in the \u003cem\u003ehamon\u003c\/em\u003e. It runs as a generous \u003cstrong\u003enotare-gunome midare\u003c\/strong\u003e - a rolling, undulating temper line with rounded gunome heads - set in a bright \u003cem\u003enioiguchi\u003c\/em\u003e with \u003cem\u003eko-nie\u003c\/em\u003e, and turns back in a \u003cstrong\u003emidare-komi\u003c\/strong\u003e bōshi with a small round \u003cem\u003eko-maru\u003c\/em\u003e. Against a well-forged \u003cem\u003eitame\u003c\/em\u003e jigane, the effect is lively and legible: exactly the sort of active, rhythmic temper line a collector wants to be able to read across the length of a blade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"koshirae\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eKoshirae Details: Handachi Mounting\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sword's most distinctive feature is its \u003cstrong\u003ehandachi (半太刀) koshirae\u003c\/strong\u003e - literally \"half-tachi.\" This is a katana mounting dressed with the metal fittings of an older \u003cem\u003etachi\u003c\/em\u003e: the \u003cem\u003esaya\u003c\/em\u003e is banded with iron \u003cem\u003ekanamono\u003c\/em\u003e at the mouth (\u003cem\u003ekoiguchi\u003c\/em\u003e), at the \u003cem\u003ekurikata\u003c\/em\u003e, and capped with an iron \u003cem\u003ekojiri\u003c\/em\u003e at the end, all cut with cloud-and-foliate silhouettes and touched with gold. It is a deliberately archaic, martial style, favoured by samurai who wanted the dignity of the old tachi look on a practical katana mount.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003etsuba\u003c\/strong\u003e is an oval iron plate decorated with flowing \u003cstrong\u003egold zōgan\u003c\/strong\u003e (inlay) in scrolling cloud and \u003cem\u003ekarakusa\u003c\/em\u003e patterns around the rim - a rich, elegant piece of ironwork that pairs directly with the fittings. The \u003cstrong\u003efuchi\u003c\/strong\u003e is iron with delicate gilt floral sprays, and the gold openwork \u003cstrong\u003emenuki\u003c\/strong\u003e sit beneath the wrap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003etsuka\u003c\/strong\u003e is bound in blue-grey \u003cem\u003eito\u003c\/em\u003e over \u003cem\u003esame\u003c\/em\u003e (rayskin) in the traditional \u003cem\u003ehineri-maki\u003c\/em\u003e diamond pattern; the wrap and same show honest age and wear, with some loss visible in places - the marks of a sword that was carried and lived with, not sealed away. The \u003cstrong\u003esaya\u003c\/strong\u003e is finished in black \u003cem\u003eurushi\u003c\/em\u003e lacquer with a black \u003cem\u003esageo\u003c\/em\u003e. The whole ensemble is coherent, characterful, and unusually attractive for the class.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"about-attribution\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout This Blade: Mumei and Unpapered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe describe this sword honestly. It is \u003cstrong\u003emumei\u003c\/strong\u003e - unsigned - and it does \u003cstrong\u003enot\u003c\/strong\u003e carry an NBTHK certificate. The \u003cem\u003eMuromachi\u003c\/em\u003e dating given above reflects an assessment of the workmanship and sugata, not a formal appraisal. What is documented is the Japanese \u003cem\u003etōroku-shō\u003c\/em\u003e registration, which establishes the blade as a genuine, traditionally-made Japanese sword.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a buyer, this means the sword is priced on what it visibly is - a healthy antique nihonto with an active hamon in an attractive handachi mounting - rather than on the premium a signature or a paper commands. A collector who wants a formal attribution and period classification can submit the blade to NBTHK \u003cem\u003eshinsa\u003c\/em\u003e; a successful Hozon appraisal would document both the era and the school, and would add to the piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e","brand":"Tokyo Nihonto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56967698252100,"sku":"KATANA86","price":3300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0753\/4080\/8516\/files\/Katana86_220K_0040_GenerativeFill3.jpg?v=1783844891","url":"https:\/\/tokyo-nihonto.com\/products\/antique-japanese-katana-sword-with-handachi-koshirae-and-gold-inlaid-iron-tsuba-mumei","provider":"Tokyo Nihonto","version":"1.0","type":"link"}