Wakizashi of shobu-zukuri style
Blade length 43.9cm, thickness at the base 8mm, width 3.7cm
This is a broad blade of shobu-zukuri style. The blade itself is nice, but the signature is a little bit doubtful.
Steel has a wood grain layer pattern.
Hamon is made of large particles (nie). And its pattern is choji, but intentionally designed. So, it looks Shinto. Kinsuji (lightning pattern) appears in the hamon.
The polishing is the modern style (hadori style). It is a good work, but not very new. Blade surface has some scratches and stains. But it is still good enough to study its beauty.
Tang
Signature "Heki Mitsuhira tsukuru" (made by Heki Mitsuhira). But it looks doubtful for our eye.
This signature looks same to his usual work at first glance. But when you study the chisel work carefully, you can find some different chisels in some small parts. Of course, a smith's signature can change by age and by other reasons. Is this chisel work acceptable as changing of single man's hand, or by different hand?
Habaki is nice. It is made of brass or copper. It has a perfect fit with the blade. It looks original from the Edo period.
Shirasaya and bag.
200,000.yen
The signature is a little doubtful. What is more the temper line is made of large particles, while his usual work has tight temper line made of small particles. Of course it is not easy to judge it, since this signature suggests his young days work before he got the title of "Dewa-no-kami" from the emperor.
Anyway, we have judged the signature fake, and settled the price as that. If you want, we can crush the signature for free.