KOTO Wakizashi Identification

[Tokugawa Gord]

Hello Everyone.

 

Hope that you are having a great week and making a nice cup of matcha while researching your next Nihonto purchase. I have an unidentified wakizashi I am struggling with, as it is mumei and exhibits features of Mino and or Bizen. The hamon and overall sugata is similar to Bizen school, closest I found in geometry and hamon was the Sukesada line or Oei Bizen. What confuses me is the toriizori curve, which is generally a Mino feature. The hada is mokume, kissaki is chu-kissaki and the boshi is hakikake. 

I place this wakizashi to mid to late Muromatchi period based on the overall patina on the nakago and the features within the steel. A beautiful gunome midare hamon with a slight fumbare which both give me the sense of great elegance, stability and power. 

 

Any additional information on this wakizashi will help a long way, Japanese swords are a long time passion of mine, and I am so glad to have the opportunity for this particular one to find me. After your careful assessment and review of the photos I would make a decision on whether to take it to Shinsa or not. 


  

Warm Regards,

 

Gordon S

[Rivkin]

Probably circa 1550, can be either Bizen or Mino, would look at nakago which might reveal which one.

[Tokugawa Gord]

17 hours ago, Rivkin said:

Probably circa 1550, can be either Bizen or Mino, would look at nakago which might reveal which one.

Hello Kirill. Please see nakago photograph attached here. What do you think? 

[Tokugawa Gord]

[Tokugawa Gord]

When I take a picture up close like this I see a a Sanji-Mei forming, but it has faded greatly over the years. Is anyone able to make out the characters? 

[Rivkin]

A bit more on the Bizen side of possible