Wakizashi "Kanenaga" within nice mount
Blade length 44.6cm, thickness at the base7 mm, width 2.8cm
This is a wakizashi blade with the signature "Kanenaga" of Tegai school in Yamato province. Tegai Kanenaga is a master smith in 13th century, but this is later generation, probably in 16th century or so.
Steel has a wood grain layer pattern, and it is visible.
Hamon is not very bright, rather dim. It is straight pattern and includes many activities what come from the steel layer. Those are kinsuji, sunagashi, and some others. Hamon in kissaki also is straight pattern, and also has kinsuji and some sweeping pattern. Those activities show the typical style of Tegai school.
Polishing is the modern style (hadori style). The work is good enough in the meaning of finishing work. It brings up the steel layer visibly and shows up a lot of kinsuji around the hamon. The shaping work is not very perfect, but just OK.
Tang
Signature "Nanto Fujiwara Kanenaga" ("Nanto" means Nara city of today)
Habaki is gold foiled.
Mount is nice. It is a sample of good quality mount from the Edo period.
Fuchi and kashira have crane design on them.
Tsuba is made of steel, and gold rim. The motif is Ushiwaka training fencing with karasu-tengu.
There is a legend that the Tegai school smiths worked for soldiers of Todaiji-temple. And their workshop was placed at the front of Tegai-gate of the temple. The school was named after the gate.
Tegai-gate of Todaiji-temple today
Still now, there is a souvenior shop run by the discendant of Tegai smiths in Nara. It is located at the foot of Wakakusa-yama park.