Musashi Kami Morimichi Wakizashi

[Shugyosha]

Mumei wakizashi in shirasaya with NPO NTHK papers attributing it to Muzashi Kami Morimichi plus Kotoken Kajihara papers and sword bag

 

Blade length: 45.4 cm

Curvature: 0.8 cm

Thickness: 6mm approx. at the mune machi

Jihada: blend of mokume and itame

Hamon: Midare – some suguba with large tadpole shape gunome at irregular intervals, some mune yaki and tobiyaki

Kissaki: chu kissaki, chu maru boshi with a hint of hakikakke (I think)

Nakago: Ubu, unsigned, one mekugi ana with osujikai yasurimei

 

This is a good quality blade with a high-quality polish done by Kotoken Kajihara. It has a two-part silver habaki and a good quality shirasaya with horn inserts at the koi guchi and mekugi ana and (I think) an ebony mekugi.

 

When I received the blade it bore the signature “Inoue Izumi kami Kunisada”. It had belonged to a Mr Ellis who I believe acted as agent for Kotoken Kajihara who carried out the polish. He issued his own papers dating to 1981 suggesting that, whilst the blade was well made, the signature required further research. It was part of the collection of a prominent UK collector, Deryk Ingham, who left a number of swords to the Royal Armouries at Leeds when he died. I believe that it was bought from his estate by the person who sold it to me.

 

The blade was submitted to shinsa in Japan and it was failed by both the NBTHK and NPO NTHK. At this point I had the signature removed, the tang re-patinated and resubmitted, where it received its present attribution. The papers suggest that it was made around Kanbun (1661 to 1673) so it is probably the second- generation smith with this name and title. This is the entry from Markus Sesko’s eSwordsmiths of Japan:

 

MORIMICHI (盛道), 2nd gen., Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Mino/Settsu – “Musashi no Kami Fujiwara Morimichi” (武蔵守藤原盛道), he moved later to Settsu, Fujishiro writes that Settsu was his home province, there exists a joint work with Shinano no Kami Daidō (信濃守大道), gunome-midare with togariba in ko-nie-deki, chū-saku

 

Some small blemishes in places the worst of which are the one at the edge of the hamon at the monouchi and some minor pitting, (see pictures) otherwise guaranteed free from fatal flaws.

 

Asking £SOLD plus Paypal but will include shipping worldwide and offer a 3 day inspection period.

 

[Shugyosha]

One time only reduction: £850.

 

If it doesn't go at this price, I'll keep it.

[pcfarrar]

I’ll take this sword please John.

[Shugyosha]

Sold subject to inspection period...