The Property of a Gentleman
An Osaka school katana | Signed Izumi no Kami Kunisada (2nd generation) | Edo period, 17th century
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November 5, 01:57 PM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 25,000 GBP
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Description
The Property of a Gentleman
An Osaka school katana
Signed Izumi no Kami Kunisada (2nd generation)
Edo period, 17th century
Sugata [configuration]: broad shinogi zukuri, iori-mune, shallow tori-zori, chu-kissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: pronounced itame mixed with mokume in places, ji-nie and chikei
Hamon [tempering pattern]: undulating gunome with notare, tobiyaki and sunagashi
Boshi [tip]: short rounded maru-boshi with steep turnback
Nakago [tang]: ubu, ha-agari kurijiri, two mekugi-ana (one plugged)
In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard] with sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro
Koshirae [mount]: the saya decorated overall in alternating bands of black and red lacquer, the iron and gilt fittings with maple leaves and foliage, the gilt menuki in the form of dragons, the circular shakudo and gilt tsuba finely pierced with keyfret design, the rim with further keyfret before foliate scrolls in gilt, Edo period, 19th century
Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 63.6 cm., 25 in.
Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 2.2 cm., ⅞ in.
Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 3.2 cm., 1¼ in.
Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation], no. 148823 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 15 (2003).
The sayagaki attestation by Tanobe Michihiro has been translated as
Izumi no Kami Kunisada
This blade bears a five-character signature. It is a work from the earliest active period of the second generation Kunisada, i.e., of the smith who signed later with the name Shinkai, and dates thus around Jo'o (1652-1655) and Meireki (1655-1658). It is hardened in a very ambitious, nie-laden, gently undulating notare that is mixed with gunome and so this masterwork reflects the smith’s characteristic features from that time.
Written by Tanzan in April of the Year of the Dog of this era (2018) and kao [cursive monogram]
Izumi no Kami Kunisada
Goji-mei kore ari. Nidai Kunisada sunawachi ato no Shinkai no saishoki saku shikamo Jo'o naishi Meireki goro no nendai naran. Asaku notarete gunome o majie nie atsuku tsuki haki oitsu ni kono ki no kare no tokushoku o shimesu yūhin nari.
Jizai tsuchinoe-inu seiwazuki
Tanzan kore o shirusu [kao]