Hi I won this at a auction a few weeks ago the auction house could not remove the handle and suspected it was glued on (it wasn't) and it came off fairly easy.i spent a couple of evenings working out the signature saka Kura echigo no kami terukane and bugyotsuji kindly translated the date as 1684 apparently the date fits when this signature would have been used I know some of you here have done this one before I've read all the posts.i would love to know what you guys think.i apologise for the poor photos I must have taken over 90 photo's the last 3days and there all bad.heres some measurements. Nagasa 46.3 cm. Sori 1.2cm. Moto hada 3.5cm. Saki hada 2.7cm. Moto kasane 6.5mm. Saki kasane 5.5mm. Kissaki 7.2cm. Nakago 16.6cm