July 12-14, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/13/2022
Measures 25 - 7/8" from tip of kissaki to munemachi. Dated a day in the second month of Showa 19 (February 1944). Shinogi zukuri configuration with a low shinogi. Komaru boshi. Jigane is ko-mokume, almost nashiji. Hamon is a suguha midare, with a couple waves of notare towards yokote. Abundant jie-nie and even some spots of aranie throughout, and gorgeous activity. Nakago with katte sagari yasurime, very top with a small area mixed with kiri. Signature on left side reads "Echigo Ju Akimaro Saku" (trans: Akimaro make this in Echigo). Akimaro's real name was Heijiro Nagashima, and probably trained at the Denshusho forge, as it was tradition for smiths trained there to adopt the Aki character as the first part of their signature. Single drilled mekugi-ana. Ha agari nakagojiri. Housed in kai gunto naval mounts. with gilt floral-and-roe koijiri, koiguchi, semegane, and 2 haners with single straps and heart shape piercings. Tsuba and seppa in the Naval Kai Gunto style and appropriately numbered "69" (or 96 depending on orientation). Traditionally wrapped tsuka with black same and gilt fuchi, kabuto-gane, and chrysanthemum menuki. CONDITION: Very good, blade is in nearly full polish with a few spots of handling marks and spots of kizu. An infinitesimal chip along ha, with a slightly larger chip under the habaki at the extremity of the hamachi. Mounts are very good with some scrapes to black lacquer revealing bare wood. Furniture has some handling marks and rubbing to high edges, saya hangers are loose. Tsuka is good, tight. An attractive sword. PROVENANCE: Roger Bender Collection. EMW