Antique Japanese Katana, unsigned (mumei) — mid-to-late Edo period — with uchigatana koshirae

Ubu mumei katana of graceful, full-length form · with iron cherry-blossom tsuba mounting

An unsigned (mumei) katana in original, un-shortened (ubu) condition, judged to date from the mid-to-late Edo period. Over 2 shaku 3 sun in length with a generous 2.2 cm curvature, it has a beautiful, well-balanced form, and comes complete in an antique uchigatana koshirae.

Workmanship and condition

The blade is in good condition, freshly polished and very nearly flawless, with outstanding workmanship in both ground and edge. The jigane is a very well-worked ko-itame (fine wood-grain), forged so tightly it takes on an almost mirror-like finish. The hamon is a gunome with a soft, misty nioiguchi, mixing into notare around the monouchi (the striking area near the point). Within the edge, inazuma ("lightning") and ashi ("feet") appear generously — lively, luminous activity that rewards close viewing.

Form

At a nagasa of over 2 shaku 3 sun (70.2 cm) with 2.2 cm of sori, the blade has the elegant, purposeful silhouette of a classic katana — long and gracefully curved, a pleasure to view and to hold.

On the unsigned tang

The tang (nakago) is unsigned. Many fine Edo-period blades were made without a signature, and being ubu — never shortened — this katana retains its original form and character exactly as it left the smith. For the collector, an unsigned blade is a chance to appreciate a sword on its own merits: its shape, steel, and temper, rather than a name.

The koshirae

The sword comes in an antique uchigatana koshirae with a black-lacquer saya. The iron tsuba is pierced with a cherry-blossom (sakura) design, and the hilt is wrapped in black cord over white same (ray skin) with figural fuchi-kashira — a mounting of quiet, practical dignity in the taste of the samurai age.

A handsome, full-length ubu katana in fresh polish, its tightly forged ko-itame steel and lively gunome temper housed in a complete antique mounting — a genuine Edo-period sword ready to appreciate as it is.

Specifications

• Type: Katana
• Signature (mei): unsigned (mumei), ubu (un-shortened) tang
• Period: Mid-to-late Edo period (attributed)
• Jigane: ko-itame, exceptionally well-forged, near mirror-bright
• Hamon: gunome with soft misty nioiguchi, notare near the monouchi, with inazuma and ashi
• Blade length (nagasa): 70.2 cm / 27.64 in (over 2 shaku 3 sun)
• Curvature (sori): 2.2 cm
• Width at base (motohaba): 30.5 mm
• Thickness at base (motokasane): 6.1 mm
• Width at tip (sakihaba): 19.8 mm
• Thickness at tip (sakikasane): 3.8 mm
• Weight (blade only): 660 g / (without scabbard) 960 g
• Mounting: uchigatana koshirae — iron tsuba with cherry-blossom piercing, black cord over same, figural fuchi-kashira, black-lacquer saya
• Torokushō (Japanese registration) No.: Tokyo 304166