Japanese Signed Wakizashi (Edo Period)-The Wakizashi refers to a blade that measures anywhere from approx. 12 inches (30cm) long to 28 inches (60 cm). It would be worn on the waist just like the Katana. It was carried as a backup next to the Katana. Samurai needed to use Wakizashi when he fought in a small room or within close proximity, where a Katana would be too long to unsheathe. Also, it was law that Samurai had to leave the Katana with the guard when he entered a castle, while the Samurai was allowed to wear his Wakizashi inside as self-protection. Wakizashi gained more presence as the Edo Government had launched the national law during the Edo period (1603-1868 A.D.) to force all Samurai to wear Katana and Wakizashi to identify themselves as the military officers of the regime. When worn together, the pair of swords were called daishō, which translates literally as "big-little". Only samurai could wear the daishō: this was a sign of their station and honor. Now that you know the history of this style of blade, let’s talk about this specific one. This sword has a hand-wrapped brown sharkskin over the white, textured sharkskin handle. There is a single menuki that is a brass eagle, under the brown wrap. This menuki does show some wear. The wooden pin is in place but does not run all the way through the handle. The handle is loose, and can be removed to see the swordsmith’s inner signature. The solid tsuba is ornate steel and lost the majority of its finish. The saya, or the wooden scabbard is a dark brown lacquered wood. The lacquer look good, especially for its age. There are scuffs, some textured spots and some scratches. The saya is overall in very good condition. The blade is loose to the handle, and does have some dark spots, and some pitting, but overall is very sharp and could be cleaned up should you do so. This blade measures approx. 20 inches (50.8cm) with a total length of 28 ½ inches (72.39cm). A very interesting piece of Japanese history.
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