Measuring 18 1/4 inches overall, with an 11 1/2 inch blade, fitted with a silver habaki with sun-engraved brass accent panels. 4-lobed iron tsuba, with gold and blackened silver decorations, showing a ship sail on the top and a spearman in a moonlit field on the underside, fitted with 2 spacers. The spearman is repeated on the kashira, with a copper cord wrap over white rayskin and a pair of elaborate gold and darkened silver menuki, showing a group of men in a dragon-headed boat on the left and a group of birds flying over moonlit clouds on the right. The saya is black lacquer finished with brown flecking, with a copper cord through the kurigata and a pocket for a kogatana, 8 1/2 inches overall with a 4 5/8 inch blade signed faintly on the right with a gilt/darkened copper handle, showing a scene of a woman in a kimono standing under a tree branch. The top of the wood under the fuchi bears a 3-symbol ink signature, with a 4-symbol engraved signature on the left side of the tang. A consignor-supplied translation attributes this signature to Fujiwara Tadahiro, a swordsmith of Hizen Provence active circa 1632-1693.

Good. The blade has been polished, with a fine grain and light spotting, mild staining on the wrap, splitting of the rayskin and mild handling marks overall. The mekugi is absent. The saya is good with some tears and repairs of the cord and some light surface scuffs. The kogatana is good with a gray patina on the blade and light handling marks.