Early Endo Mitsuoki shobu zukuri katana

[Gerry]

https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1176613035

 

Here's another oddity on Yahoo Japan, a very early (1931) shobu zukuri katana by Endo Mitsuoki, when he was probably still honing his skills as a self taught swordmith..

 

The torokusho is from Showa 37, so it's probably too early to be a gimei Mitsuoki blade.

 

It looks pretty rough, with a big ware on the mune, and the mei oddly has Kunimune inscribed on it too, so not sure if Mitsuoki was going for a copy of a Kunimune shobu zukuri katana.

 

It ultimately went for a steal.