WAKIZASHI KOTŌ SHITAHARA EN SHIRASAYA, ET SA MONTURE Japon, XVIe siècle A SHITAHARA KOTŌ WAKIZASHI IN SHIRASAYA WITH MOUNTS Japan, 16th century The blade: Sugata: hira-zukuri; Jihada: mokume-hada with the typical whirl patterns of the Shitahara school (Shitahara-hada); Hamon: gunome-midare, ko-nie, sunagashi, kinsuji; Bōshi: midare-komi; Nakago: mumei (unsigned), with two mekugi-ana. With a gilt habaki. In a wooden shirasaya storage scabbard. The koshira-e comprising: a black-lacquered saya with an iron monobloc kankyūtō-shaped kogatana, its kozuka inscribed with two verses of poetry: 'My lord's grace weighs more than ten thousand mountains; my life weighs less than a single hair 萬山不重君恩重、一髪不軽我命軽', which are, according to legend, the verses inscribed on the kozuka of Ōishi Kuranosuke's wakizashi, the leader of the Forty-seven Rōnin; the tsuka wrapped in same and bound with beige braid, fitted with partially gilt kabuto-shaped menuki, nanako-ji shibuichi fuchi-kashira, and a small iron kawarigata tsuba decorated with plants and a hō-ō bird inlaid in gold nunome-zōgan. Accompanied by a Hozon Tōken (Sword Worthy of Preservation) certificate, no. 385305, issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai (NBTHK, Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword), dated 19 March 2010 (Heisei 22). Total length 53.5 cm (21 1/16 in.); the blade (nagasa) 30.2 cm (11 7/8 in.) long; tsuba 6 cm (2 3/8 in.) (2). Lot to be sold without reserve. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing