Lot Essay
There were three generations of smiths using this name and their works are highly valued.
Details
AN ECHIZEN SEKI WAKIZASHI
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1625), SIGNED YAMASHIRO (NO) DAIJO FUJIWARA KUNITSUGU (PROBABLY KUNITSUGU I)
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and large point (o-kissaki); length (nagasa): 1 shaku, 1 sun, 6 bu (50.3cm.); curvature (sori): strong torii-zori of 1.7cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 0.4cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): rough wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): very wide rolling outline (toran) with active clove and irregular patterns (choji midare) in profuse nie with scatterings of 'swept sands' (sunagashi) as well as tempered areas (tobiyaki) in the ji.
Point (boshi): midare-komi with medium kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): tapering, ubu and with a dry, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): kesho-yasuri; end (nakagojiri): iri-yamagata; holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Yamashiro (no) Daijo Fujiwara Kunitsugu.
Shirasaya.
Silk storage bag.
Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho token certificate, no. 144682, Showa 43 (1968), issued by the N.B.T.H.K.
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1625), SIGNED YAMASHIRO (NO) DAIJO FUJIWARA KUNITSUGU (PROBABLY KUNITSUGU I)
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and large point (o-kissaki); length (nagasa): 1 shaku, 1 sun, 6 bu (50.3cm.); curvature (sori): strong torii-zori of 1.7cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 0.4cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): rough wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): very wide rolling outline (toran) with active clove and irregular patterns (choji midare) in profuse nie with scatterings of 'swept sands' (sunagashi) as well as tempered areas (tobiyaki) in the ji.
Point (boshi): midare-komi with medium kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): tapering, ubu and with a dry, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): kesho-yasuri; end (nakagojiri): iri-yamagata; holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Yamashiro (no) Daijo Fujiwara Kunitsugu.
Shirasaya.
Silk storage bag.
Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho token certificate, no. 144682, Showa 43 (1968), issued by the N.B.T.H.K.
Provenance
Donnin Arms Museum, Miami, Florida
Literature
See Fujishiro, vol. 2, p. 235.