A KOTETSU-SCHOOL KATANA WITH A CUTTING TEST After Okisato Kotetsu Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1641 Of robust honzukuri, iorimune configuration with an extended kissaki and a deep toriizori curvature, the blade forged in flowing itame hada mixed with mokume hada in jinie, the tempered edge gunome midare with a bright nioguchi and nie, sunagashi and nijuba, ending in a midarekomi boshi, the machi-okuri tang with indistinct file marks, one hole, inscribed Nagasone Okisato Kotetsu and inscribed in gold inlay Tameshigiri futatsu do (Cut through two bodies), signed Yamano Kenjuro Hishide, with a kao and dated Kan'ei juhachinen sangatsu juichinichi (11th day of the third month of 1641), 28 1/4in (71.7cm) long, with a one-piece copper habaki The koshira-e comprising a black-lacquer saya, the tsuka wrapped in brown cotton and fitted with shakudo migaki-ji fuchi-gashira decorated with a boat and geese in flight in iro-e takazogan and gilt menuki of cranes in flight, the iron tsuba decorated with a plum tree with gilt details