The 'Mikazuki Kanemitsu', or the Crescent Moon Kanemitsu, was rediscovered by Paul L. Davidson (1947-2020), the first President of the American Branch of the Nihon Bijutsu Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword]. In 2017, the late Watanabe Taeko (1937–2024), former director of the Sano Art Museum, was preparing her exhibition Treasure Swords of the Uesugi Clan. Researching, among many other sources, the list of blades designated Juyo Token [Important Sword] and Tokubetsu Juyo Token [Exceptionally Important Sword], she realised that this tachi, which had reached the latter status in 2008, was indeed the 'Mikazuki Kanemitsu' featured in the Uesugi sword register personally compiled by Uesugi Kagekatsu (1556-1623). This important sword will be offered for sale through Sotheby's Sealed at 10:00AM EDT on 25th March, alongside the online sale Important Japanese Swords and Armour from the Paul L. Davidson Collection.
By Markus Sesko
The Osafune (長船) School of Bizen province (present-day Okayama Prefecture) was from the Kamakura until the Edo period (mid-13th to early 17th century) one of the largest currents of sword making in Japan. Kanemitsu (兼光), the maker of this blade, was leading the school in fourth generation, and from surviving dated works ranging from Genkō one (元亨, 1321) to Jōji five (貞治, 1366), we know that he did so for at least 45 years. Two-thirds into his active career, if you will, Kanemitsu noticeably changed his style. That is, right around 1350, he left behind the style of his father Kagemitsu (景光) comprised of a hardening in kataochi-gunome, and changed in favor of a hardening in notare, a hamon type that was novel at that time. Reasons for this style change are manifold. On the one hand, a hardening in notare had been the forte of smiths of the Sōshū tradition, which was then in the ascendent and exerted its influence on smiths all across Japan at that time. On the other hand, blades of all types concurrently grew in size, and it is assumed that a gently undulating hamon was regarded as being more harmonious with said large shapes.
This blade is a prime example of all these developments and perfectly reflects Kanemitsu’s style from later years. The wide mihaba, little taper, long nagasa, and ō-kissaki are typical for the Nanbokuchō period, particularly for the time the tachi is dated with, which is the fifth year of Enbun (延文, 1360). The jigane is densely and excellently forged and appears as a ko-itame that is mixed with itame and mokume and that features plenty of ji-nie, fine chikei, and a midare-utsuri. As indicated, the hamon is based on notare and is mixed with ko-gunome, ko-chōji, ashi, yō, tobiyaki along the valleys of the undulations, and at the base with kinsuji and sunagashi. Both sides are engraved with a bōhi and tsurebi, and below with a sō no kurikara on the obverse, and with a bonji followed by a koshi-bi with soebi on the reverse. The tang is completely ubu and bears a relatively small and thinly chiseled signature and date. With its uniform forging and flawless hardening despite the long nagasa, the blade reflects a strikingly high degree of perfection, and the condition of both ji and ha is very healthy as well.
With the changes in sword fashions and with political and societal changes that took place in the Momoyama period (1573–1615), Samurai started to wear their long swords on all occasions and not only on the battlefield. Thus, the focus shifted on wearing a katana, which may be regarded as the civilian counterpart of the tachi, and which eventually became a visible symbol of authoritative power and the symbol of the warrior class per se. Accordingly, many tachi were shortened to a standard length of ca. 70 cm, which made them easier to be worn with civilian attire, and this particularly affected the long and overlong blades of the Nanbokuchō period. Of the 31 long swords of Kanemitsu that are ranked Tokubetsu-Jūyō Tōken by the NBTHK (as per January of 2025), the 13 long swords that are designated as a Jūyō-Bijutsuhin, and the twelve that are designated as a Jūyō-Bunkazai, only twelve are unshortened, signed, and dated. Incidentally, this Kanemitsu is the only Tokubetsu-Jūyō Tōken fulfilling these criteria.
It can thus be said with certainty that this blade was especially treasured for more than six-and-a-half centuries since its production, which brings us to the exceptionally important provenance of this tachi, which was with the noted Uesugi (上杉) family. From the time of their ancestor onwards, the mid-Kamakura period (mid-13th century) court noble Uesugi Shigefusa (上杉重房), the family regarded swords from Bizen as superior to all other swords. As a result, the Uesugi built up a collection of swords that consisted of some of the greatest Ichimonji and Osafune School masterworks ever made. When Kagekatsu (上杉景勝, 1556–1623) became head of the family, he personally compiled an inventory (part of the Uesugi Archive that is designated as a Kokuhō) of said sword collection, starting with those that he cherished most. This blade is the fourth on this list, and is recorded by its name, Mikazuki-Kanemitsu (三日月兼光), lit. “Crescent Moon Kanemitsu.” This name goes back to the aforementioned tobiyaki activities above of the hamon, which are of crescent shape in places. Further details of the blade, e.g., its date, length, and type of engravings, were then recorded in 1914 and in 1925 when the sword collection of the Uesugi family was carefully inspected and brought in line with relevant documents in said Uesugi Archives.
In 2017, the late Ms. Watanabe Taeko (1937–2024), former director of the Sano Art Museum, was preparing her exhibition Treasure Swords of the Uesugi Clan. Researching, among many other sources, the list of blades that have been ranked Jūyō Tōken and Tokubetsu-Jūyō Tōken, she realized that this tachi, which had reached the latter status in 2008, was indeed the Mikazuki-Kanemitsu featured in the Uesugi sword register. In coordination with Mr. Tanobe Michihiro, former head of the curatorial department, managing director, and deputy director of the NBTHK, and Mr. Michael Yamasaki, one of the leading experts on Japanese swords outside of Japan, a loan for said exhibition was arranged with the former owner, the late Mr. Paul L. Davidson (1947–2020), long-term sword collector and former president of the American Branch of the NBTHK. Had it not been for Mr. Davidson’s profound knowledge of Japanese swords and keen eye for quality, following in successful submissions for the ranking of Jūyō Tōken and Tokubetsu-Jūyō Tōken, to be then checked by Ms. Watanabe in course of the preparations for her exhibition on said topic, the (re)discovery of this historically named and currently arguably most important Japanese sword outside of Japan from the former possessions of the Uesugi family would likely not have happened for a long period of time.
The first President of the American Branch of the Nihon Bijutsu Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], Paul’s expertise and love for the art and culture of Japan was profoundly felt by those around him. Much like the samurai whose spiritual and material culture he revered, his life was the sword – his primary collecting interest. Paul amassed one of the finest collections of Japanese swords outside of Japan, including this incredibly rare discovery: the remarkable thirteenth century tachi, the ‘Mikazuki Kanemitsu’. Paul’s sincere passion for education had a lasting impression on those he met, and his eye for quality garnered great respect among the Japanese sword collecting community. Along with the important Mikazuki Kanemitsu, the collection of Paul L. Davidson comprises other significant Japanese swords, including three Tokubetsu Juyo designated blades, among other fine Japanese arms and armour from the late 12th - 19th centuries. Important Japanese Swords and Armour from the Paul L. Davidson Collection takes place in Sotheby’s New York 13th - 25th March 2025.
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