Sugata: Shinogi-Zukuri Iori-mune with shallow tori-zori
Nagasa:. 50.5cm
Motohaba: 2.8cm Sakihaba: 2.2cm Kasane: 7mm
Hada: itame but detail obscured by light abrasion
Hamon: Suguha base with pointed ko-gunome
Kissaki: chu-kissaki
Nakago: suriage one mekugi ana, signed Terushige (possibly 4th generation circa 1648)
Koshirae yellow silk braid bound over black lacquered same tsuka, round iron tsuba with gold inlay. Menuki bow arrows and quiver in copper and gold plain iron fuchi (kashira missing)
Provenance: gifted in 1962.
Lots 539-543 comprise a collection of Japanese edged weapons assembled by the late Mr MacCormick between 1953 and 1963, with one final addition added in 1998. They were all purchased within the UK at local auctions, antique shops or privately. They have never been submitted for shinsa.
All of the works are in largely untouched condition and a professional polish would undoubtedly reveal more detail of hada, hamon and boshi. Equally the koshirae include a number of interesting tsuba and small fittings which are worthy of further study and preservation.
Mellors & Kirk gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Paul Bowman in the cataloguing of this collection
