ANCIENT 1668 DATED & SUPREME MASTER SMITH SIGNED BLADE* Japanese WW2 Wakizashi Short Sword By ‘Naga Sone Okisato Nyudo Ko-Tetsu’ With Edo Period Iron Tsuba, Original Hand Written WW2 Gurkha 1945 Presentation Information Scabbard & Expert Assessment. S Sword

ANCIENT 1668 DATED & SUPREME MASTER SMITH SIGNED BLADE* Japanese WW2 Wakizashi Short Sword By ‘Naga Sone Okisato Nyudo Ko-Tetsu’ With Edo Period Iron Tsuba, Original Hand Written WW2 Gurkha 1945 Presentation Information Scabbard & Expert Assessment. Sn 23803:8

This Wakizashi with ancient blade has been examined by UK Japanese sword expert Bill Tagg and a copy of his assessment notes accompany the sword. In extracts of his notes he states ‘Antique blade, wakizashi sword carried in the second world war. Blade looks shinto period dark black rust on nakago & mounted at least twice. File marks nearly eroded away. The signature is a very famous, highly rated smith: Naga Sone Okisato Nyudo Ko-Tetsu, a priest to be! Dated May 1668. Blade bright but not in polish. Scratched and faded hamon. Also has some faults (kizu) and blister. References: markus sesko book on swordsmiths pages 393/394/395/396. Lots of information. Rated as saijo saku (supreme made), master. Hawley's list of swordsmiths, page 251. Rated at 200 points (average points 138). Nihon to koza, afu watson translation. Pages 72, 74, 76 and 183/184/185 for genuine tang rubbings (oshigata). See shinto benji book for more oshigata. This needs signature authenticating in Japan! Koshirae: saya - wood covered with black leather, field service use, good condition. Tsuba - round black iron, depicts a man by a river in rain with a large rain hat. Nice edo period patina. Tsuka is gunto pattern with dirty ito binding complete and intact. Iron plain kashira with quality Fuchi of cloud dragon, signed mune not translated. Needs further research. Has plain brown officer's tassel used by admin personnel and navy 1944 period swords. Original label with history and provenance. ‘from wing commander r.a. Woodley, 1982 killigrew street falmouth. Presented to woodley by Lt. Col. NFB Shaw d.s.o., 3rd batt gurkha rifles, raf avadi, south india, 1945. Near habrasi (chennai). On other side blade 57cm signed Kotetsu signed fuchi original knot’. In his illustrations of the blade he describes the cutting edge of blade as just under 57cm. Total length just under 72cms. He also translates the tang signature and date, describes other blade characteristics and dimensions which can be seen in the images and states the original label needs further research to verify the history of this interesting sword. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23803:8

£1450