A Mino katana in mounts Muromachi period (1333-1573), 16th century Sugata (configuration): honzukuri, iorimune, slightly extended kissaki and toriizori configuration Kitae (forging pattern): itame hada in jinie Hamon (tempering pattern): gunome-choji midare with nie, ashi, yo, utsuri, hotsure and tobiyaki Boshi (tip): midarekomi Horimono (carving): omote side: bohi, ura side bohi ni tsurebi Nakago (tang): o-suriage with later file marks, four holes, signed Kanesad Habaki (collar): one-piece silver-foil Nagasa (length from tip to beginning of tang): 26 1/8in (66.3cm) Motohaba (width at start of tempered edge): 1 1/4in (3.2cm) Sakihaba (width before tip): 7/8in (2.cm) Koshira-e (mounts): black-lacquer ishime saya, the area around the koiguchi finished in black lacquer in finer ribs, fitted with a silver kojiri carved with diagonal striations, the tsuka wrapped in lacquered leather over same and fitted with iron mokumeji fuchigashira decorated with matsukawabishi (pine-bark lozenges) in gold and silver nunome-zogan, the gold menuki formed as butterflies, the iron diamond-shaped tsuba decorated with ploves over fishing nets in kebori and sukashibori, signed Omi no ju Masayoshi With kantei certificate no. 1 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword), dated October 30, 1951 With a type-written letter from a previous owner describing the sword as an heirloom blade of the Ahari family