Tokugawa art

A73200(W8110)

Katana signed Oumi daijo Fujiwara TADAHIRO with) Gosho-kuruma and the Circle Silver inlaid Black lacquered scabbard Informal Tachi style koshirae

Shinto Early Edo period (Enpo era/about 330 year ago) Hizen
Length of cutting edge60.4cm Curvature1.4cm Width of base32.1mm Thickness of base7.1mm Width of Yokote22.6cm

NBTHK(HOZON) certificate note: NBTHK(HOZON) certificate says "wakizashi"

with) Gosho-kuruma and the Circle Silver inlaid Black lacquered scabbard Informal Tachi style koshirae

Sugata(configuration):Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune. Kasane is thick and Shinogi-ridge is high. The width on base is wide. There is decent curvature leading to an extended middle tip. The carvings in Sashiomote is Koshi-hi (single groove on base) and the reversed side is parallel grooves (futasuji-hi). (click HERE for the high resolution of image)
Kitae(forging pattern): Kitae is Ko-itame(fine wood grain) generally and mixing in with minute mokume burl pattern on base in the reversed side. The entire jigane is thickly covered in rich Ji-nie (hard metal granules). Fine chikei small darkish nie lines glows over the surface.
Hamon(tempering pattern): Hamon is Suguha (broad straight temper line), a thick Nie sash, deep nioi-kuchi. There is frequent thick nie feet glows toward the hardened edge. The interior of temper is filled in rich Nioi-mist, bright and vivid.
Nakago(tang): Nakago is ubu(unaltered) original with kiri yasurime (horizontal) file marks, one mekugi-ana, Kengyo (V-shape) heel, signature on front side is located right-hand side shinogi-ji Oumi-daijo Fujiwara TADAHIRO 近江大掾藤原忠廣.
Boshi(tip): Bosi is straight with medium circle turns back orderly.
Oumi-daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro, his real name is Hashimoto Heishiro (later changed to Shinzaemon), a bastard son of the first generation Tadayoshi, born in the 19th year of Keicho (1614) and succeeded the second generation of Hashimoto family when he was only 19 years old. He entitled Omi-daijo when he was 28 years old in the 22nd day, the 7th month, 18th year of Kanei (1641). He had established the firm foundation of Hizen Tadayoshi families that had succeeded until the early of Meiji period. Passed away in the 27th day,the 5th month, 6th year of Genroku(1693), was 80 years old.
This is the typical work of a heavy-bulit Uchi-Katana (single-hand style sword) of the second generation TADAHIRO. It is amazing that this sword still remains the ample thickness with high shinogi-ridge and holds an original shape of good proportion. The length of cutting edge (One-shaku, nine-sun, nine-bu and five-rin), would be because of the regulation for the length, but also would be an exclusively made for Samurai owner who wanted moderate sized katana for common use. It is marvelous that this katana still remains an almost original condition over 330 years to say in an excellent condition (Using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
Gosho-kuruma and the Circle Silver inlaid Black lacquered scabbard Informal Tachi style koshirae : comprising white rayskin novel lozenge wrapp hilt, Silver/Brass ground Karakusa/Kuyō-mon crest Fuchi/Kashira, Kuchi-kane, Ashi-kanamono, Seme-kanamono and Ishizuki-kanamono. Copper snake menuki and Iron ground Fans-openwork Cherryblossom/Kuyō-mon crest Tsuba (unsigned attributed to a work of Nishigaki).
(click HERE for each ornamental fitting in detail/click HERE for the entire koshirae fitting)
Preserved in a shira-saya plain wood mounting. Gold foiled single habak collar.
Recent polish/Condition scale: excellent (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
note :It is understood as a rule in Hizen-to that the signature for the katana (over two shaku) was made in Sashiura (tachi-mei) and wakizashi (one-shaku or more, less than two shaku), Tanto (less than one-shaku) were made in Sashiomote (katana-mei), however, this is not a absolute rule and some exceptions are found in some suitable sized uchi-katana like this example.
note: NBTHK(HOZON) certificate says "wakizashi" due to the rule that length of Katana is 2-shaku(60.6cm) or more for it's cutting edge.