Measuring 35 inches overall with a 26 5/8 inch blade edge, the blade features a very wavy hamon and fine grain, with a lightly textured alloy habaki. The tang is signed on both sides, with a pair of mekugi-ana, a 5-pointed star on the right above a 5-figure signature, and "526" beneath an 8-figure signature on the left. The 5-pointed star is the traditional marking of the "Rikugun Jumei Tosho", swordsmiths certified by the Imperial Japanese Army as qualified to produce blades for the military, who received a regular allotment of scarce tamehagane steel for traditional production. Consignor notes attribute the signature as being that of Baba Akitsugu, a known Army Certified smith, circa January of 1945. With a set of fine shirasaya mounts and an ebony mekugi.

Very fine. The exterior of the blade shows a small number of spots or handling marks, with one tiny chip in the edge near the tip. Fine grain is visible in the steel, with a strong hamon across the length of the edge; while it is known that Army Certified smith's produced non-traditional mill steel swords to supplement their traditional production, grain and hamon like on this example are seen as indicators of traditional production. The tang shows a smooth gray steel color overall with the beginnings of proper age spotting, with the signature sharply cut. The fittings show some minor dings and scuffs, and are a tight fit for the blade. A very fine example of the wartime bladesmith's art, which would make a great addition to a Japanese sword collection as-is or mated with a set of military-pattern mountings.