Some views of an Edo period wakizashi that is in the shop for a fitment tune-up and mekugi replacement, along with a new sword bag brought from Japan. Thank you to its caretakers for allowing me to contribute to its care and preservation.
At almost 400 years old, this sword is unique in that it came out of Japan before WWII and has been in a family continuously until recently. A relatively healthy early/mid-Edo wakizashi that is worthy of preservation, forged in the 1600s, and has a lovely suguha hamon. The tang is signed Kanenobu (兼延), blade is in a maintainable older style polish and has a couple of legitimate battle nicks, unpapered due to provenance.
Tasteful mountings appear to be Edo period (~1600-1800), silver plated copper habaki, gold plated copper seppa, copper and gold inlaid iron tsuba, paired shakudo and gold fuchigashira, pine needle texture tamenuri urushi saya.
Specifications
長さ/刃長 Nagasa: 428mm
元幅 Motohaba: 28mm
先幅 Sakihaba: 20mm
元重/重ね Motokasane: 5.5mm
先重ね Sakikasane: 4mm
反り Sori: 10mm
中心/茎 Nakago: 127mm
柄長 Tsuka: 160mm
拵全長 Koshirae: 664mm
Tsuba 68mm x 61mm x 4mm
Fuchi 38mm x 20mm x 12.5mm
Kashira 32mm x 17mm x 8mm
Koiguchi 38mm x 22mm
Kurikata 38mm x w11.5mm x h11.5mm
Kojiri 31.5mm x 17mm
Kozuka 95mm x 14mm x 4mm
Kogatana blank 173mm x 10.5mm, 206mm w/kozuka
形 Katachi: shinogi-zukuri, mitsu-mune
刃文 Hamon: suguha
帽子/鋩子 Boshi: maru
中心/茎 Nakago: ubu, ha-agari kuri-jiri, two mekugi-ana 6mm/5mm
銘 Mei: Kanenobu (兼延), with two character signature
拵 Koshirae: Edo period wakizashi
In a private collection in Michigan.