phoenix horimono?

[oli]

Hi,

 

have a new sword with a horimono with a bird. Can somebody tell me which mystical Japanese bird could it be?

Or maybe the meaning?

 

Thanks

Oli

 

 

[Scogg]

Could be a hō-ō, perhaps?

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenghuang

[Brian]

Ho Bird for sure.

[oli]

Thank you, didn't find any other examples, is it a rare kind of horimono?

[ChrisW]

Its not overly common no.

[oli]

a little better pic