Wakizashi "Nobukuni" of shobu-zukuri style
Blade length 38.6cm, thickness at the base 6.5mm, width 3.0cm
This is a wakizashi blade of Shout-zukuri style. The blade itself is nice, but the signature is doubtful. The age seems 16th - 17th century.
Steel has a wood grain layer pattern. It makes an interesting irregular pattern. So it looks koto blade.
Hamon is made of large particles. Its pattern is straight. It includes many small activities like ashi and kinsuji. The hamon at the tip shows the flame pattern. Unfortunately, it is difficult to take those interesting activities by camera. When you study the blade in your hand, you can see the blade character so-called "Soshu tradition".
Polishing work is the modern style (hadori style). It is not so bad, but the blade surface has some small rust and scratches. Then, we are going to have the blade touch up polishing by the classical style (sashikomi style).
The blade shape looks like a naginata-naoshi what means a shortened blade from a long naginata. But, when you study the starting of the hamon, you can find that the hamon starts around the hamachi. It means that the hamon is original and so is the shape.
Tang
Signature "Nobukuni"
The signature "Nobukuni" is a little doubtful. Of course, there are many smiths named Nobukuni in Kyushu in both koto period and shinto period. They are descendants of the master Nobukuni in Kyoto 14th century. Some of his grandchildren moved to Kyushu and grew up to a big school there, while they disappeared in Kyoto.
So, this blade has a possibility made by one of them. And the blade character also looks like that tradition. But still, the chisel work of the signature is not very skillful. We can't decide whether we should crash the signature or keep it. Anyway, this is a nice blade what shows so-called "Soshu tradition".
Habaki is gilded copper double.
Shirasaya and bag
200,000.yen
It includes the touch up polishing in Sashikomi style and cleaning inside of the scabbard. If you would like, we can crash the signature for free.