12/03/2023
*RARE BIRDS HEAD TACHI* WWII Japanese Samurai Sword NIHONTO Shin Gunto WW2 KOTO
Item Description: I am pleased to offer this original hand-made heirloom Japanese officers Samurai sword with large O-Kissaki in exquisite and original rare Bird's Head Tachi Mounts. The blade represents the opportunity to own a historic katana from the late Koto swordsmith Nagayuki. The blade and the mountings are in Excellent condition. The sword is a katana and has a blade length of 26 inches (66cm). It features a deeper curvature, high shinogi, and O-Kissaki, or large tip, that is almost 3.5 in long (8.5cm). It is well-constructed featuring a tight wood-grained itame hada. The hamon is a well-implemented and active choji gunome hamon based on suguha. The hamon is present the length of the blade through the kissaki where it ends in a maru boshi. There are deep ashi and yo along the hamon as well as some sunagashi.
The tang is signed Nagayuki. This looks to be a Nagayuki from the Mihara school, working ca. 1500, making the sword late Koto. Mihara blades are known as fighting swords from the Sengoku period. The shape, curvature, high shinogi, and workmanship align with Mihara work.
The mountings are a rare and desirable complete set of Edo-period efu-tachi mounts featuring a rare Bird's head kabuto-gane. The mounts are in Excellent condition. The tsuka is not wrapped but has a large phoenix head kabuto-gane on the end. The fuchi is plane iron. The tsuba is classic tachi shape with two accompanying metal seppas. The mekugi has had metal tacks put in each side. The saya (scabbard) is remarkably exquisite. It is lacquered a copper color and black with a swirl pattern along its length. Its hardware show two hangers with arabesque designs. The saya shows two small scrapes, and just a few areas of missing finish, retaining roughly 95-97% of its original finish. The blade is in Excellent condition. It shows a few small micro nicks and some light scratches and a few very small areas of surface rust along its length. There are a few small lateral ware and there is one small fukure in the ji. There are no major flaws like hagire.
Given the overall condition of the sword, the rarity and condition of the fittings, the reputation and history of the swordsmith, combined with the large O-Kissaki, I highly recommend this piece for a collector of WW2 militaria or Japanese swords.
Here are detailed measurements for the sword:
Nagasa: 66 cm
Sori: 2.3 cm
Motohaba: 3.1 cm
Sakihaba: 2.3 cm
Kissaki Nagasa: 8.5 cm
Nakago Nagasa: 16.6 cm
Kasane: 0.6 cm