Lot Essay
The first Yasutsugu is said to have come from a family of sword-smiths in the village of Shimosaka in Omi Province, and was known as Shimosaka Ichizaemon. He moved to Echizen during the 1590s and entered into the service of Matsudaira Hideyasu, the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was later retained by both Ieyasu and Hidetada in Edo, receiving the character 'Yasu' of his name from Ieyasu, together with the privilege of carving the triple hollyhock leaf mon on his work. The first and second generations kept alternate residence in Edo and Echizen but from the third generation the family divided into Edo and Echizen branches. This sword is believed to be the work of the third generation in Edo.