This Japanese wakizashi sword features a blade length (nagasa) of 38.5 cm (overall length 57 cm) with a shinogi-tsukuri shape, torii sori bend, and gyo-no-mune back. The temper line (boshi & kissaki) is komaru with a chu-kissaki, and the temper pattern (hamon) is nioi and o-motare. The grooves (hi or horimono) include a koshi-hi on the omote and gomabashi on the ura. The hada pattern (jihada) is muji and masame. The blade dates to the Shinto period and is in very good condition.
The tang (nakago) has a kengyo tip and kesho-yasuri file marks, with one mekugi-ana (peg hole). The signature (mei) reads Sakakura Gonnoshin Terukane.
The handle (tsuka) is made of samegawa (rayskin) on wood, wrapped in black silk. The menuki are gold-plated shi-shi. The fuchi-kashira are namakoji with gold-plated depictions of shi-shi and floral decorations. The blade collar (habaki) is copper with raindrop patterns, and there are two gold-plated washers (seppa). The kozuka has a finely labeled blade. The saya (scabbard) is black lacquer, cross-grooved, with a kojiri featuring rich chrysanthemum decoration on namakoji.

Sakakura Gonnoshin Terukane is said to have originally been a swordsmith of the Mino Terukado school. He went up to Osaka and became an apprentice with Echigo-no-Kami Kanesada (1st), also a very famous swordsmith, and he was later adopted as a son by his master.
He succeeded his master’s name after his master dead because his master’s biological child, Iwamatsu, was too young. When Iwamatsu came of age, he handed the name down to Iwamatsu, and he changed his name to Sakakura Gonnoshin Terukane around 1680 (Enpo 8).
He excelled at Toran-ba, or the intermediate Hamon which is O-gunome with Yahazu like Hamon. He is a representative swordsmith of Osaka Shinto.

Provenance:
Albert Polster collection