Very long Tachi blade (Nagasa: 75,9 cm) Konishi Samurai family clan

Tachi blade:
Length Habaki included: 77,5 cm.
Cutting edged: 77,1 cm.
Nagasa: 75,9 cm
Motohaba: 2,9 cm.
Sakihaba: 1,7 cm.
Motogasane: 0,65 cm.
Sakigasane: 0,45 cm.
Sori: 2,1 cm.
Horimono: Two (Naginata style and the Konishi family Mon)
Nakago signed Mei: Mumei 無名
Estimated Age: Muromachi 室町時代
Blade material: Tamahagane 玉鋼
Hamon 波紋: Notare combined
Hada: Konuka near Muji with other combined that denotes the lot of layers and fine original forging.

Blade condition:
Very good general condition, the polishing is quite recent. Some superficial marks of old rust visible only in a small area located on one of the sides and some very small black spots (see detailed pictures), all appropriate as antique blade well preserved, razor edged, no fatal damage.
The two Horimono have been repainted with red Urushi lacquer as is traditional, probably during the last polishing.

Konishi family Tachi Koshirae:

Kodogu: Silver
Ito: Natural Silk two colors
Sageo: Brown Silk

Saya Lacquered:

Mushikui Nuri, Kawai Nuri and Negoro Nuri (Gold sheets with rice and four Urushi colors) all under the black Urushi finishing. It is a very rare and sophisticated technique, depending on distance or light it can be seen as totally black or with a great variety of color shades (you can see it in the pictures).

Due to the simultaneous reflections of the silver, the blade and the great amount of multi-layer Urushi lacquer, it is very difficult to show in pictures how this Tachi looks in reality, much more beautiful than in the present pictures, of course.

The Kodogu parts are of Silver, the same as the crosses that are the Mon (family crest) of the Konishi Samurai clan. The Semegane of the Saya is also made of silver, forming a Latin cross, possibly as a representation of the Christianity of that Samurai family.

As this family is recognized as traditionally Christian (Kirishitan), the display of its symbols in Koshirae and in one of the Horimono on the blade could consider this Tachi as a rare Christian example.

The origin of family Christianity tells a story that was due to considering the resemblance between the Konishi family Mon and a Cross symbol of Christianity a premonition, it could be, in any case it is a curious anecdote.

Koshirae condition:

As usual in the Koshirae that are renewed over the years, it is difficult to know its age, it has been recently restored with a Koshiraeshi master, also showing some parts having been replaced in recent times, there is no original data on it or the aforementioned. What we can see is that its condition is good with the typical irregularity of old lacquers when they have been done with many layers, a Koshirae done with great amount of Urushi layers is something typical also of a high-quality work.

Japanese documentation:

Sealed Copy of Prefectural (Kyoiku-inkai) Registration Card In order to legally own a original sword in Japan it has to be registered in accordance with the Ju-to-ho 銃刀法.

The Board of Education prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword . In order to obtain this paper, the sword needs to be traditionally hand forged. With this paper, its owner can legally own an authentic Japanese sword in Japan.

Kyoiku-inkai - Japanese official documentation (paper previously called Daimyo) is the document card that testifies to the sword ownership is the current sword registration system started in Japan in modern era. Such swords, which were registered in a few years after the system started, are known among collectors as "Daimyo" (feudal lord) registration swords as it was Daimyo or other Daimyo-like wealthy families who owned many precious swords and were asked by the Japanese government to register their swords in the early stage of the newly introduced registration system to familiarize it to the society but it is not the official name of course what is Kyoiku-inkai (Prefectural Registration Card)

Katanacenter certification added:
Our own Kantei 鑑定 attested identification of this Tachi blade and Koshirae

Ref.: Tachi 118

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