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A katana | Signed Suishinshi Masatsugu and kao [cursive monogram] | Edo period, dated Tenpo juninen chushun (mid-spring 1841)
Lot Closed
March 25, 03:35 PM GMT
Estimate
30,000 - 35,000 USD
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Read more.Lot Details
Description
A katana
Signed Suishinshi Masatsugu and kao [cursive monogram]
Edo period, dated Tenpo juninen chushun (mid-spring 1841)
Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri, iori mune, broad mihaba, with a bit of difference between the motohaba and the sakihaba, thick kasane, there is a hint of funbari, with a deep sori, elongated chu-kissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: tight ko-itame with a hint of a mixture of large mokume in the lower half, with thick ji-nie, fine chikei is abundantly inserted, the steel is clear
Hamon [tempering pattern]: gunome mixed in choji, abundant long ashi inserted, wide nioi, with thick nie, coarse nie is mixed in here and there, sunagashi throughout, nie suji (nie forms lines), there is kinsuji, small tobiyaki are mixed in the yaki-kashira (heads of the choji), the nioi-guchi is bright and serene
Boshi [tip]: suguba with a deep round return, very much hakkake
Nakago [tang]: ubu, saki is kurijiri, yasurime is a kessho o-sujikai, one mekugi-ana, there is a goji mei and kao done with a thick tagane on the haki-omote towards the mune, and there is a nenki done in the same manner on the ura
Habaki [collar]: double clad, gold on copper, chased and engraved
In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]
Koshirae [mount]: the black lacquer saya decorated in black hiramaki-e inset onto an ishime ground with archaic ho-o birds and peony sprays, the mokko-gata tsuba inlaid in coloured closionne enamels and various thicknesses of gold with flowers and scattered petals, the fuchi-kashira with further ho-o birds on a nanako ground, the gilt and shakudo menuki in the form of further peonies
Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 70.3 cm., 27⅝ in.
Sori [curvature]: 2.2 cm., ⅞ in.
Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 2.1 cm., ⅞ in.
Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 3 cm. 1⅛ in.
Kissaki length: 4.5 cm., 1¾ in.
Nakago length 21 cm., 8¼ in.
Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Juyo Token [Important Sword], no. 10895 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 12 (2000).
Art of the Samurai: The Paul L. Davidson Collection (New York, 2023), p. 55.
Suishinshi Masatsugu (died in 1860) was a pupil of Taikei Naotane (1778-1857). His workmanship and style of signature are firmly in the Naotane style.
The present katana displays a forging (kitae) with a tight wood grain surface (ko-itame hada), as well as a suggestion of large wood burl (o-mokume) in the lower half, with thick ji-nie and an abundance of fine chikei . The tempering pattern is of convex arcs (gunome) blended with clove-like (choji) forms; there is a profusion of elongated ashi are inserted, the nioi is wide with thick shining particles of martensite (nie). Coarser particles are incorporated in places, and sunagashi [lit. flowing sand] and nie suji [lit. streaks of nie] are applied throughout, showing the clear style of the Soshu tradition.
The sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro has been translated as:
Suishinshi Masatsugu
46th Juyo Token [Important Sword] Designation
This has a Tempo twelve era dating. This smith is Suishinshi Masatsugu, and was a member of the Taikei Naotane school.
This sword has a well proportioned deki and is a masterpiece among the works of this same smith in the Soshu tradition. It is very previous.
Evaluated and confirmed by Tanobe Mihcihiro on an auspicious day in December 1999.
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