Sugata: Shinogi-Zukuri Iori-mune with shallow tori-zori
Nagasa:. 66.0 cm
Motohaba: 2.8cm Sakihaba: 1.9cm Kasane: 7mm
Hada: details obscured by light abrasion
Hamon: gunome midare
Kissaki: chu-kissaki with ko-maru boshi with short kaeri
Nakago: Suriage, three mekugi ana, single character of the original mei “Oshu” remains on the omote.
Koshirae: Tachi Koshirae with Aoi-gata tsuba with gold inlay
Provenance: purchased in a local UK antique shop 1957.
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
