A JAPANESE SWORD (KATANA OR O-WAKIZASHI)

A JAPANESE SWORD (KATANA OR O-WAKIZASHI)

Blade 23.75 in., hon-zukuri, gumone hamon with elements of choji, gold-foiled habaki with neko-gaki; nakago with four-character mei (some characters indistinct, probably kawachi no kami kunisuke); kurikomi mokko gata tsuba with un-ryu (cloud dragon) design in relief and with traces of gilding, tsuka mounted en suite to the tsuba, the fuchi signed with kao (narinobu); black lacquered sendan-kizami saya with gilt-metal fittings embellished en suite to the tsuba; Edo Period, 17th/18th century.

Provenance: from an English private collection, London.

Mei on fuchi possibly for Narinobu of the Umetada School, Edo.