Kat-107 Bishu Osafune Sukesada

Sukesada Katana in Original Mounts 

Excellent example of a late Koto period Sukesada. This wide-bodied katana is classic for the 1500’s. The style is known as “katate-uchi,” which fits this swords shape to perfection. Swords used during the late Muromachi period were often used in the one-handed fashion and as such, were name “katate-uchi”. There are many Sukesada’s during this period, so careful examination of each individual blade is necessary, especially when only signed “Bishu Osafune Sukesada”.

The difference between so-called mass produced pieces is easily apparent when one sees such an example. In massed produced blades, the grain is ugly and loose, and the temper line is dull and has poor shape. These are the mass produced swords made by students for the war effort during the 1500’s. But on occasion, we can see a sword of quality from this school such as this sword we have today for sale. The blade has a beautiful classic gunome with the valleys in between done very well. Kinsuji is seen in places throughout the hamon with also has ashi and yo in places as well. Inazuma with chikei is visbile also and is presented in a beautiful itame-mokume grain pattern. The blade is in excellent polish and the boshi is very healthy. A deep groove runs through the upper portion of the blade, giving this wide blade excellent balance. The tang is probably ubu with a possibly of it being slightly machi raised.

The mounting is a great plus as it is in original condition with no new repairs. The tsuka is a very nice old wrap done in gold silk. The fuchi kashira is smooth shakudo handachi style. The menuki are very high quality Goto style Kiri-mon with leaves. The tsuba is an iron plate with sakura blossoms carved out of the surface. The scabbard is a nice black lacquer that has a slightly leather like texture. The fittings on the scabbard are very nice, done in top quality shakudo. The kurikata, kaeritsuno and kojiri are done with a nice wave pattern with gold dot sprays. 2 shakudo handachi bands on the scabbard match the fuchi kashira.

The nice addition to the mount also shows that most likely someone of some status wore this. Usually the presence of kogai and kozuka on a katana mount represent someone of a higher station. Not only were kogai and kozuka expensive to make, mostly only higher up Bushi had use for kogai in their daily life. This kogai is gold foiled with a design of Oxen also done in gold on a shakudo nanako background. There is some loss on the back of the gold. The kozuka is a nice shakudo nanako piece with a design of vines on a shakudo nanako background. The kogatana has a nice gunome hamon, and is signed Kunihiro.

All in all a very nice package for a collector that loves Koto blades in old mountings. The set needs nothing as blade is in perfect polish, and mounts are in very good condition.

1500’s (blade)

Signed – Bishu Osafune Sukesada – mei guaranteed to pass NBTHK shinsa if sent through us within 1 year of purchase or full refund of purchase price if there is a failure to pass. 

63 cm length of cutting edge