Shinjuro Sukesada (ACTIVE 1572-1585) A Bizen katana Muromachi period (1333-1573), dated 1572 Sugata (configuration): honzukuri, iorimune, chu-gissaki, iorimune with a thick kasane Kitae (forging pattern): flowing itame hada in jinie with some chikei Hamon (tempering pattern): o-notare with a bright nioiguchi, ko-nie, sunagashi and some ashi near the yokote Boshi (tip): ko-maru Nakago (tang): machi-okuri with indistinct file marks, two holes, signed Bizen kuni no ju Osafune Shinjuro Sukesada tsukuru, inscribed Maeda judai (For the Maeda family) and dated Genki sannen hachigatsu kichijitsu (An auspicious day in the eighth month of 1572) Habaki (collar): one-piece, gold-foil Nagasa (length from tip to beginning of tang): 27 5/8in (70.2cm) Motohaba (width at start of tempered edge): 1 5/16in (3.3cm) Sakihaba (width before tip): 7/8in (2.2cm) In a shirasaya (wood storage scabbard With Tokubetsu Kicho Token (Especially Precious Sword) certificate no. 7268 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword), dated May 2, 1976