AN OSAKA INOUE KATANA

Details

AN OSAKA INOUE KATANA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1680), SIGNED KITAMADO HARUKUNI TSUKURU (HARUKUNI I)

Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 3 sun, 3 bu (70.6cm.); increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.1cm.; curvature (sori): torii-zori of 1.7cm.; carving (horimono): maru-dome bo-hi on either side.
Forging pattern (jihada): a particularly fine wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): large invections and rolling outlines (gonome notare) in bright, coarse nie (ara-nie) fracturing into loose patterns in the monouchi.
Point (boshi): notare-komi with large circle (o-maru) and little kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): wide, hefty, slightly tapering, ubu and with an even, dry, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): kesho-yasuri; end (nakagojiri): iri-yamagata; holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Kitamado Harukuni tsukuru.

Shirasaya.

Silk storage bag.

Accompanied by a hozon token certificate, no. 307883, Showa 62 (1987) issued by the N.B.T.H.K.

Provenance

Colonel Royal Gervais, Sarasota, Florida

Lot Essay

Harukuni was a student of Inoue Shinkai.

See Kashima and Uchida (1932), vol. 1, p. 101 and Kawaguchi Noboru, vol. 3, p. 71 for comparable signatures.

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