Q513. Katana signed Bizen Osafune no Ju Yokoyama Sukekane Saku.  Tomonari Go Ju Hachi Dai Mago (58th generation of Tomonari).  Dated Meiji San Nen Ni Gatsu Hi (a day in February of 1870.

Nagasa:  27 3/8″  69.3 cm.

Sori:  1.55 cm.

Moto haba:  3.2 cm.

Moto kasane:  .8 cm.

Saki haba:  2.1 cm.

Saki kasane:  .55 cm.

Nakago nagasa:  7 3/4″  19.8 cm.

Overall in shirasaya:  38 7/8″  99 cm.

Ubu or possibly a tiny bit machi okuri, one hole.  Koshi zori, iore mune, chu kissaki.  The hada is ko-itame with areas of mokume above the hamon; some of the mokume have been hardened and appear as hataraki (don’t know if I’ve seen this done before: interesting).  The hamon is a bright and consistent nioi guchi covered in ko-nie: suguba with subtle hataraki.  The boshi is a continuation of the hamon ending with a ko-maru (swept on the ura) and a long medium kaeri.  The sword is mounted with a gold foil habaki and in well made shirasaya, both in excellent condition.  It is in polish and, with the exception of a couple pin pricks on the ji, flawless.  There is a Tokubetsu Kicho paper from the NBTHK, dated 1969.

Yokoyama Sukekane was the adopted son of Yokoyama Sukemori and the brother-in-law of Yokoyama Sukenaga; he was an important smith late in Edo period.  He is rated Chu Jo Saku in Fujishiro.  Nice sword.

This was sold to a customer who was paying for it over time; his situation changed and he had to cancell the deal.  He never saw the sword in hand; there is nothing wrong with it.  2 pounds, 14 ounces.  $3,775.