A shakudo-mounted late koto wakizashi
By Kanemoto, late 16th century
The blade of shinogi-zukuri form with sanbon-sugi-ha of nioi and mokume-hada, the ubu-nakago with one mekugi-ana, signed Kanemoto; koshirae: the saya of roiro lacquer; the shakudo tsuba carved, pierced and inlaid with a village scene by a winding stream; the Mino-Goto kozuka of shakudo nanako, with a man and boy seated in a pavilion admiring kiku growing by a stream, with rich gilt details; the shakudo fuchi-gashira carved and inlaid with a nobleman, probably intended for Yoshitsune, playing the flute and his running horse, signed Kusano Hirotsugu, with shakudo gilt-metal menuki of flower arrangements. The blade 49cm (19¼in) long. (3).
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