K74. Wakizashi with fine horimono, mumei and papered by the NTHK in 1979 to Den Harima Daijo Shigetaka.

Nagasa: 15 9/16″ 39.4 cm.

Sori: .9 cm.

Moto haba: 3.2 cm.

Moto kasane: .75 cm.

Saki kasane: .5 cm.

Nakago nagasa: 4 15/16″ 12.5 cm.

Overall in shira-saya: 24 1/8″ 61 cm.

Hira zukuri, iore mune. The hada is ko-mokume with fine masame. The hamon is based on suguba with shallow gunome and ko-choji: nioi guchi covered in very fine ko-nie. The boshi is tending towards jizo on the omote and is chu-maru on the ura, with a medium kaeri.

The horimono on the omote is gomabashi bi and bonji, and on the ura a ken with dragon. Other than for one tiny incidence of loose grain the blade is flawless and other than for a few faint scratches the polish is intact. The blade comes mounted in shira-saya with a wood habaki.

There were 3 generations of Shigetaka working in Echizen in the 17th century. I see no reason to quibble with the shinsa results; this sword fits well with Echizen in early Shinto. Nice piece. 1 pound, 8 ounces. $2,750.