An Osaka Shinto Wakizashi with Koshirae

EDO PERIOD, SIGNED TSUDA NO ECHIZEN KAMI SUKEHIRO AND DATED ENPO GANNEN JUNIGATSU BI (1673.12)

Details

An Osaka Shinto Wakizashi with Koshirae
Edo period, signed Tsuda no Echizen kami Sukehiro and dated Enpo gannen junigatsu bi (1673.12)
The blade honzukuri, iori-mune, chu-kissaki, toriizori; forging pattern ko-mokume with jinie; tempered edge toran midare of nie with Osaka-yakidashi; boshi komaru-sagari with hakikake; tang ubu with iriyama end, file marks sujikai and kesho with one hole; double, gilt-copper habaki

In koshirae of lacquered sharkskin comprising: an iron tsuba pierced with forty-eight petals of a chrysanthemum, with traces of gilt; iron fuchi-kashira decorated with geometric design in silver hira-zogan, inscribed Nomura Masamitsu and with kao; shakudo menuki formed as group of shells; iron kozuka framed in shakudo chiseled with a signature of Rai Kunimitsu and a round gold patch; the hilt with green band and blackened shark skin; 74cm. long
47.3cm. from tip to beginning of tang; 1.1cm. curvature; 3cm. wide at start of tempered edge; 2.4cm. wide before tip
With a Tokubetsu hozon (Sword Especially Worthy of Preserving) certificate no. 146671, issued by Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword), dated 2001.8.7 (2)

Lot Essay

Sukehiro changed the way he signed his work in 1674 from characters of a square design to ones more rounded. This sword is one of the last examples featuring a so-called Kaku-Tsuda (square-character Tsuda) signature.

More from Japanese and Korean Art

View All