A katana made by one of the top gendai smiths, Takahashi Yoshimune in full polish and mounted in a very nice traditional koshirae. Takahashi Yoshimune was born in 1897 at Ehime prefecture and is the elder brother of the 1st Ningen Kokuho, Takahashi Yoshitsugu. He studied swordmaking with Yokoyama Sukesada, Henmi Yoshitaka, and Enju Kunitoshi. He is ranked as a Saijo Saku and regarded as one of the best Showa swordsmiths. He made many swords for Emperor and Generals and won numerous awards in sword competition including the 1st shinsaku Nihonto Den GrandPrix. According to Modern Japanese Swordsmiths, 1868 – 1945, by John Scott Slough page 198, Yoshimune is a High to Superior Grade Gendaito smith, and won the 1941 Exhibition Special Honor Noted Seat.
The blade has a very nice elegant shape with a slightly elongated kissaki. The hada is a beautiful mixture of itame and mokume. The hamon is a nioi-deki ko-choji midare. The mounts are in very good condition. The mounts consists of a tsuka with fittings of Botan (peony) flowers, a nice iron sukashi tsuba, and black lacqured saya.
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