Measuring 35 3/4 inches overall, the 25 inch blade shows a slightly wavy hamon with a brass habaki and an iron tsuba with copper seppa, with gold accented grass on top and bottom, and a raised engraved tiger on the underside. Darkened copper fuchi and kashira, with raised fold accented floral designs, blue cord wrap over white rayskin, and gilt copper praying mantis menuki. Saya is plain hardwood, with an iron and brass suspension band and a brown leather cover. Three mekugi-ana are present in the nakago, with the lowest 2 plugged, a 7-figure signature on the left side, and a 7-figure signature on the right. A consignor supplied translation indicates that the right signature is "soshu ju masatsugu", indicating a blade produced by Masatsugu (more than one smith by that name was active in the mid-1500s, when the Sengoku Period was well underway) in accordance with the Soshu school of blademaking, with the left signature being attributed to the unidentified smith who performed one of the shortening procedures. Based on the mekugi-ana positioning and suggested date of manufacture, this sword likely started life as a tachi, and was progressively shortened as styles and preferences among Japan's warfighters shifted from big swords wielded from horseback to shorter blades more suitable for rapid deployment and close-quarters work.

Excellent. A small amount of spotting is visible on the blade, concentrated on the base of the spine near the habaki, minor polishing near the tip, and well defined metal grain and hamon. A few very tiny chips are visible near the end of the edge. The tsuba shows a well aged brown color, and the fuchi, kashira, and menuki are very good. The rayskin has shrunken slightly, with a small amount of visible wood at the top and bottom. The saya is fair, with scuffs and cracking on the leather.