“A masterpiece”
This sword was made by Mutsu No Kami Fujiwara Tsunashige.  It also has a cutting test inlayed in gold. Generally swords with cutting test will only be for two bodies or less.  Also, different types of cutting tested are found but its extremely rare to find a Sword with a three body cutting test. Making this long katana unique, rare and extremely collectable

This particular blade is a most outstanding work by the swordsmith Tsunashige. The hamon is a gunome midare in a notarish form. There is tsunagashi that clearly  runs through the hamon. The gunome hamon is frosted with a beautiful nioi-guchi that is mostly in nie. There are times when the tsunagashi becomes kinsuji and sweeps into the hada creating a form of chikei that is just outstanding. The Chikei is exquisite and is finely compacted within the tight itame hada. There is masame-nagare that forms sporadically within the hada. The Boshi is a thick maru with medium Kaeri

The tachi koshirae is a sight to behold. A brilliant ITO_MAKI no tachi style koshirae. The mounts were made in the Edo Era (1600’s-1700’s). This sword has a beautiful gold gilded trim over iron fittings. The tsuka-ito is of black silk with menuki of Mice on a salmon. There is an iron Mokko-gata  tsuba that matched the iron fittings. There is a gold foiled habaki. The saya is covered in a keenly decorated silk Brocade accentuated with Kamons. The Tachi sageo is a combination of green, blues red and a creamy white silk all mounted with tsunagi.

The Shirasya is trimmed in horn  and Ivory with Sayagaki by Mr. Tanobe and the blade is finely polished and papered Tokubetsu Hozon.

The Nihonto Meikan states that there were 2 generations of of swordsmiths that were Tsunashige but it is also believed that is not the whole story.  It was said that Kotetsu was a student of Ise Daijo Tsunahiro. That would mean that both Tsunashige and Kotetsu are from the same school or Den as tsunashige and was a student of Tsunahiro. Kotetsu is believed to be a student of Kaneshige. The body of work of the two generationsof Tsunashige are so similar that sword expert Mr. Kawaguchi thinks they are one and the same. Now Kotetsu is assumed to be a student of the great master Kaneshige Dr, Sato (Kanzan as he is known) and Ogasawara sensei both believe that there were 3 generations. There is not much background information on the life of Tsunashige and the 2 generation theory must stand for now. This sword is enscribed with a rare 3-body cutting test of which can be seen and translated in the description. As is know the 3-body variety of cutting test is a step above and much rare than most.

From Fujishiro:
TSUNASHIGE MUTSU NO KAMI [KANBUN 1661 RIKUZEN] SHINTÔ CHÛJÔSAKU

          He was in the Ise no Daijô Tsunahiro Mon, and his works continue the style of his teacher.  Also, at first glance, there are places which resemble that of Kotetsu.  Moreover, one story says that Kotetsu was in the Ise no Daijô Tsunahiro Mon.  If this story is true, Tsunashige and Okisato were in the same Mon.

Signature:   MUTSU NO KAMI FUJIWARA TSUNASHIGE

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Plate I:         MUTSU NO KAMI FUJIWARA TSUNASHIGE