Type 19 Kyu Gunto with Ashikaga mon carved into handle?

[Vanby]

Hello, just trying to find information on this - it appears to be an Ashikaga mon carved into the handle whereas all other examples I've been seeing are actual separate pieces of metal attach onto the sword. Is this common at all to have it actually carved into the handle?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Bruce Pennington]

It is not common.  Kyugunto, in general, seem to have a higher percentage of mon use than the later Types, but they are normally a silver disc.  @Geraint sites a Fuller & Gregory mention of engraved mon on THIS POST.

 

My searching skills are notoriously bad, but I did come up with one HERE posted by @Kvernon:

 

In my search, though, engraved mon were seen on tsuba, habaki, and lots of nakago.

[Vanby]

Thank you!! Very interesting to learn.