Nicely Mounted Unusual Katakiriha Zukuri Wakizashi

Signature: Mumei.
Year Made:  Shin-shinto/Meiji
Forging Pattern: Mokume/itame. 
Tempering Pattern: Suguha midare.
Dimensions:  Blade Length:  14.125 inchesNakago: 4.375 inches 6 mm thick and 25 mm wide at Hamachi
Mountings:  Unusual buke zukuri mounts in very good condition. Good quality shakudo nanako fittings with the theme of water fowl on the tsuka. Wrap is tight and in good condition, large nodule samé done in full wrap style, menuki in gold plate, possibly turtles. Very unusual inlaid wood saya with, what I've been told, is the symbol of a village or small mountain clan inlaid in the wood. Very well done and not often come across. The habaki is very well made of deeply engraved copper and is in very good condition. The tsuba is in wheel motif and appears to be very old. It was perhaps inlaid with gold in the carvings around the edge but is hard to tell. It has old rust which has deteriorated it in several places but it is still sound. It must have been of value to the owner, to have included it when he put together all the newly made (at the time) pieces of the mounting.
Overall Condition:  Very good, A very unusual sugata for a blade, the shape was more common in Koto times and this is most likely a Shin-shinto copy of one of those early blades. The blade has small ware, the one which is very conspicuous in the photos is much less so when looking at the sword in hand. The hada is very active and the hamon terminates in an interesting boshi that has a spot of softer steel in it. All in all a unique find and something worth owning for it's uniqueness alone but it is a well crafted blade with nice workmanship housed in a very nice set of mounts. You won't be disappointed with this blade.