Bizen Yokoyama Sukekane Katana

Sukekane was the adopted son of Yokoyama Sukemori. He had also been known as Yokoyama Toshiyuki, A tradtion of stating lineage from Ko Bizen Tomonari had begun with Yokoyama Sukenaga and this continued for several generations. Sukekane added "Tomonari go ju hachi dai mago" ( 58th generation decendant of Tomonari ) to the mei of his works. The nakago of this katana includes this in the ura mei as well as the date that it was made, August 1870. Sukekane is a well regarded smith as is really seen at a higher level that some older rankings may indicate. His work is typically valued as much or more than Jo Saku shinshinto.
The blade and koshira are in good condition.

The koshira still has room for a kogai, as one pocket is still free.

This is a fine katana by Bizen Yokoyama Sukekane. The Yokoyama Bizen smiths are renowned for their style of choji gunome. This blade is a textbook example of the Bizen Yokoyama style of choji gunome midare. The hamon is nioi deki.
This style of nioi deki is tightly controlled and appears as a vivid luminous line. There are no breaks nor thinning and there is no clumping of nie.
The jigane is tightly folded ko-mokume that is covered in tiny bright evenly distributed ji-nie particles.
The shape of the ubu nakago is also textbook Yokoyama Bizen style. Late Edo times were a period of great uncertainty and martial readiness.
This katana is in full polish. It comes with a NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper. It is ubu, signed and dated.