THE FIRST MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY), INSCRIBED SOSHU JU AKIHIRO, THE SECOND EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY), INSCRIBED SA

Details

A Gassan School Katana and a Horikawa School Wakizashi
The first Meiji period (late 19th century), inscribed Soshu ju Akihiro, the second Edo period (17th century), inscribed Sa
The first shobuzukuri, iori-mune, toriizori with an ayasugi forging pattern tending toward masame at the rear of the shinogi and a suguha-choji gonome tempered edge of nioi with ashi, carved with futatsuhi on both sides, tang indistinct with four holes, in shirasaya, no habaki, 71.5cm. long; motohaba 3.3.cm. wide; the second shobuzukuri, iori-mune, toriizori with a masame forging pattern and gonome tempered edge with heavy nie along the edge, chikei and sunagashi, both sides carved with futasuji, tang suriage with four holes and sujikai file marks, machi okuri, in shirasaya with no habaki, 56.7cm. long; motohaba 3.5cm. (2)

Provenance

William Thomson Walters, Baltimore
Brayton Ives, New York

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve. This lot is exempt from Sales Tax.

Lot Essay

William Thomson Walters (1820-1894) was the father of railroad magnate Henry Walters (1848-1931), founder of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. When William T. Walters died, he bequeathed his collection to his son.
Brayton Ives (1840-1914), one of the earliest collectors of Japanese art in New York, purchased Walter's Japanese collection. He lent many examples of Japanese art to the Pedestal Fund Art Loan Exhibition held at the National Academy of Design in New York in 1883. He donated his collection to the museum in 1891.

The second sword in this lot was acquired for The Metropolitan Museum of Art from the firm of Y. Nakagawa of Yokohama in 1917 by Bashford Dean, curator of the Department of Arms and Armor.

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