Lot Essay
Shinkai (1630-1682), son of Kunisada I, was born in Osaka and worked as a retainer to the Ito family, daimyo of Obi in Hyuga, where he made swords which received high praise for their first-quality koto style and workmanship. In 1652 he received the honorary title of Izumi no Kami (Lord of Izumi), as had his father, and used the name Izumi no Kami Fujiwara Kunisada until July 12th, 1672, when he changed his name to Inoue Shinkai, which he used until his death ten years later.
In 1669 he developed a style of his own based on the works of Go Yoshihiro. He made broad, Soshu-inspired swords with shallow curvature, ko-itame forging, and a wide hamon in dense nie.
Ishiguro Masayoshi was born in 1774 to the Okamoto family. He was student of Sano Naoyoshi and Ishiguro Masatsune. The masa of his name is from masatsune and the toshi (sound only) from Naoyoshi. He was a prolific artist of great merit whose works were surpassed only by Masatsune I as the master of the Ishiguro school. His work was admired greatly in the West and a number of examples are to be found in early European and American collections.
In 1669 he developed a style of his own based on the works of Go Yoshihiro. He made broad, Soshu-inspired swords with shallow curvature, ko-itame forging, and a wide hamon in dense nie.
Ishiguro Masayoshi was born in 1774 to the Okamoto family. He was student of Sano Naoyoshi and Ishiguro Masatsune. The masa of his name is from masatsune and the toshi (sound only) from Naoyoshi. He was a prolific artist of great merit whose works were surpassed only by Masatsune I as the master of the Ishiguro school. His work was admired greatly in the West and a number of examples are to be found in early European and American collections.