Koto Nihonto Identification

[JunS]

Hi,

I found this Nihonto on Ebay.

Price is about 800 EUR.

Nagasa is 69cm

Do you think it is a katana or a tachi?

In Handachi Koshirae.

Is it worth the price?

The seller told me it was in the estate of a british military senior officer.

What do you think about the sword (age, school, health of the blade)?

Are the fitting of a decent quality?

I already asked the seller to make better photos of the whole blade and I will post them here.

 

Better and more photos are on the Google Drive:

 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18-rPblXj7Z0nIi0ktWccRA2hX-y0a5fL?usp=sharing

 

[oli]

Interesting Habaki... the blade needs a polish and complete restoration of the Koshiara. Do you want to invest some thousands Euro for restoration?

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

For 800 Euros it's a gamble, the blade has a good shape but there are some large Mune-Ware that give one pause. Decent quality Koshirae, it could be something good but would require quite a bit of money and expertise invested.

[Rawa]

Please dnt treat this seriously as my knowledge is poor

Koshi-zori. Hamon Chu-suguha? Nakago unshortened? It have one small chip near yokote and scratches pointing that sword could be used for cutting in current state. Could this be shortened nagamaki?

[Mikaveli]

On 4/19/2025 at 9:31 PM, Rawa said:

Could this be shortened nagamaki?

 

Nothing indicates that for me.

 

From the large habaki, and the position of the mune-machi, it doesn't seem like the tang was ever substantially shortened (they've moved the tsuba back, essentially).