An Echizen shinto katana in koshirae

An Echizen shinto katana in koshirae 

Signed Echizen (no) Ju Shimosaka Kunikiyo

越前住下坂国清
Early Edo period, 17th century

Nagasa [lenght]: 80.3 cm
Motohaba: 3.1 cm, sakihaba: 2.1 cm
Motokasane: 7.5 mm, sakikasane: 5.5 mm
Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri, chu-kissaki. Shallow tori-zori . Strong funbari.
Kitae [forging pattern]: itame hada with hadadachi gokoro.
Hamon [tempering pattern]: Notare midare in nie deki with sunagashi, ji-nie, inazuma, nijuba and kinsuji.
Bōshi [point]: ko-maru.
Nakago [tang]: ubu iriyamagata, katte-sagari yasurime; two mekugi-ana.

Koshirae:

The blade comes with a good modern koshirae mounted with antique fittings, including a pair of large parcel-gilt menuki representing Kiyohime around the bell and an iron Higo school fuchi–kashira.
Only a few blades by this sword-maker are known and his works are extremely rare, as stated by Satō Kanzan, who published a tanto with the same signature in his book of shinto swords hoshigata at no. 129.
The sword is exceptionally long and massive.