Lot Essay
An almost identical wakizashi in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum was exhibited in Japan- The Shaping of Daimyo Culture 1185-1868, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., October 30, 1988 - January 23, 1989, (catalogue, no. 173, catalogue edited by Yoshiaki Shimizu) and in Swords of the Samurai, British Museum, (catalogue no. 74, Victor Harris and Nobuo Ogasawara, eds.).
Yasutsugu worked in the Soshu tradition of Masamune and Sadamune. He was born in Shimosaka, Omi Province, and was originally known as Shimosaka. In 1606 Tokugawa Ieyasu bestowed on Shimosaka the yasu character from his own name, hence Yasutsugu, and allowed the swordsmith the use of the Tokugawa aoi-mon. Around 1607 Yasutsugu made and dedicated a wakizashi to the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya in appreciation of these honors. Compare the utsushi wakizashi by Ryuoji Sadatsugu dated 1968 after the original Yasatsugu blade presented to the Atsuta Shrine from the Collection of Walter A. Compton sold in these Rooms, October 22, 1992, lot 311.
Yasutsugu moved to Hokusho in Echizen Province and worked with Yasutsugu II in Edo and in Echizen in alternate years. Around 1645 the Yasutsugu School divided into Edo and Echizen branches which only disbanded around 1870.
Yasutsugu worked in the Soshu tradition of Masamune and Sadamune. He was born in Shimosaka, Omi Province, and was originally known as Shimosaka. In 1606 Tokugawa Ieyasu bestowed on Shimosaka the yasu character from his own name, hence Yasutsugu, and allowed the swordsmith the use of the Tokugawa aoi-mon. Around 1607 Yasutsugu made and dedicated a wakizashi to the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya in appreciation of these honors. Compare the utsushi wakizashi by Ryuoji Sadatsugu dated 1968 after the original Yasatsugu blade presented to the Atsuta Shrine from the Collection of Walter A. Compton sold in these Rooms, October 22, 1992, lot 311.
Yasutsugu moved to Hokusho in Echizen Province and worked with Yasutsugu II in Edo and in Echizen in alternate years. Around 1645 the Yasutsugu School divided into Edo and Echizen branches which only disbanded around 1870.