A samurai cavalry sword - tachi, dated 1300, along with an exclusive frame. The blade has a certificate of authenticity from NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon and a number of interesting old documents and attributions left on the shirasaya (so-called sayagaki). The sayagaki attribution reads:
Ko-Bizen Nobufusa, length 2 shaku 4 sun 2 bu and a half. On the omote (front side) is a carved sword, on the ura (back side) is a letter in Sanskrit; the sword is mumei (unsigned). The price is 250 gold coins. It is the heirloom of the Tosa Yamauchi family. Written during an inspection in the 5th month of the 22nd year of the Meiji era, the year of tsuchinoto ushi (May 1889).
An additional document regarding the Ko-Bizen Nobufusa sword reads:
Sword (abbreviated) mumei (unsigned). According to the "Compendium of Hereditary Swords of the Tosa Yamauchi Family," this is the Ko-Bizen Nobufusa. I estimate the price at 250 gold coins. It is a magnificent sword, so I humbly announce that it must be carefully preserved for many generations. Hon'ami Kisanji . Date 15th day of late autumn, Chōshoku [+kaō].
For Mr. Yamauchi Toyonori and his men. It has a length of 2 shaku 4 sun 2 bu and a half.
[Seal] Sugawara Chōshoku.
So there is an inconsistency between the NBTHK's opinion of some of the sword's details and the sayagaki and ancient documents (for example, the sayagaki and documents list a certain Nobufus as the maker of the blade, while the certificate does not). This is understandable, due to the fact that it is quite difficult to confirm or deny the veracity of the content of the inscriptions on the shirasaya and the inventory documents. This is a top-of-the-line koshirae perfectly matched to the blade. All metal elements of the frame (tsuba, fuchi, kashira, menuki and scabbard reinforcements and raptors) are made of shakudo (a blackened alloy of copper and a small amount of gold - about 4% - with a characteristic dark color), the pins of the sword's harness are gilded, with a paulownia flower motif. Minuets also partially gilded, with a phoenix motif, the rest of the fittings smooth, with heart-shaped cutouts (boar's eyes). The scabbard of the sword is covered instead of lacquer with polished cherry bark and numerous embroideries in the form of floral tendrils, paulownia flowers and phoenixes. The braid on the handle and scabbard was braided not on ray skin, but, as is more common with old tachi swords, on silk material glued directly onto the wood. The braiding was done in the hinarimaki style of silk ito in golden ochre. Sageo webbing thick, black, made of cotton with a touch of silk. Rapcie itomaki of thick, patterned, light-colored tape.
The sword is a masterpiece - both the frame and the blade are beautiful examples of Japanese craftsmanship and military tradition.
Dimensions:
Nagasa (blade length): 73 cm
Sword length from tsuba: 74.5 cm
Mune-machi (thickness of the back of the blade at the hilt):0.5 cm
Width of blade at habaki: 2.8 cm
Width of blade at kissaki: 1.5 cm
Curvature of the sorii sword: 4.5 cm
Nakago stem unsigned, with two holes.
Length of entire shirasaya covered with sayagaki (grinder's attribution): 101 cm
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