Details
AN ECHIZEN RAI TACHI
NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD (CIRCA 1330), ATTRIBUTED TO KUNIYUKI
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 5 sun, 9 bu (78.5cm); curvature (sori): particularly strong torii-zori of 2.5cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.2cm.; carving (horimono): kaki-nagashi medium width grooves (bo-hi) on both sides ending deeply inside the tang.
Forging pattern (jihada): masame with some wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): medium ko-nie suguba with extensive 'legs' (ashi) and yo, decreasing in frequency in the monouchi.
Point (boshi): notare-komi with medium turn-back; hakikake.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): extremely long (36.5cm.) due to having been both slightly shortened and having the machi moved up (machi-okuri); file marks (yasurime): kiri-yasuri; end (nakagojiri): rounded (kurijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): four; signature (mei): unsigned (mumei).
Shirasaya.
Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho token certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., no. 144640, dated Showa 43 (1968), attributing the blade to Kuniyuki.
NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD (CIRCA 1330), ATTRIBUTED TO KUNIYUKI
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 5 sun, 9 bu (78.5cm); curvature (sori): particularly strong torii-zori of 2.5cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.2cm.; carving (horimono): kaki-nagashi medium width grooves (bo-hi) on both sides ending deeply inside the tang.
Forging pattern (jihada): masame with some wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): medium ko-nie suguba with extensive 'legs' (ashi) and yo, decreasing in frequency in the monouchi.
Point (boshi): notare-komi with medium turn-back; hakikake.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): extremely long (36.5cm.) due to having been both slightly shortened and having the machi moved up (machi-okuri); file marks (yasurime): kiri-yasuri; end (nakagojiri): rounded (kurijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): four; signature (mei): unsigned (mumei).
Shirasaya.
Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho token certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., no. 144640, dated Showa 43 (1968), attributing the blade to Kuniyuki.
Provenance
Joseph U. Seo, New York