Q524.  Katana in koshirae, signed Bizen no Kuni no Ju Osafune Shichibeijo Sukesada Saku and dated Kanbun Ni Nen Hachi Gatsu Kitsu Jitsu (a lucky day in August of 1662).

Nagasa:  26 1/16″  66.2 cm.

Sori:  1.75 cm.

Moto Haba:  3.2 cm.

Moth kasane:  .8 cm.

Saki haba:  2.2 cm.

Saki kasane:  .5 cm.

Nakago nagasa:  7 1/8″  18 cm.

Overall in koshirae:  40 1/2″  102.5 cm.

Shinogi zukuri, slightly suriage, koshi zori, iore mune, chu kissaki.  The hada is ko itame in bright ji nie.  The hamon begins with a slanted yakidashi and becomes variations on gunome and choji midare, a bright and consistent nioi guchi covered in ko-nie, with sunagashi, kinsuji, hotsure, ashi and yo.  The boshi is undulating, ending with a swept o-maru and mune yaki all down the back of the blade (like I said: Flamboyant, and my pictures don’t even begin to show all the activity).  There is a copper habaki and a Hozon paper from the NBTHK in Tokyo, dated 2018.  There are a few pin pricks (tiny pits) and a few instances of slightly coarse grain (nothing serious).  There is surface corrosion at the top of the nakago that obscures the first few characters of the mei & date.  Other than for a bit of scuffing under the habaki, the blade is in polish.

The koshirae is in excellent condition.  The saya is black lacquer with horn kojiri, kurikata, and koi guchi: flawless (this might be younger than the rest of the koshirae; I don’t know for sure).  The tsuba is carved iron.  The fuchi kashira are shakudo with a well done tsuchime surface and gold & shakudo flowers.  The menuki are gold and shakudo flowers.

Shichibeijo (also read Hichibeijo) Sukesada may have been born in 1577 (I have a reference that says so) and he died in 1674.  This sword, dated 1662, was made when he was an old man.  He is rated Chujo Saku in Fujishiro, which lists him as Wazamono also.  This katana is really quite spectacular; there is a lot here to enjoy.  3 pounds, 8 ounces.  $4,900.