A BIZEN TACHI
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A BIZEN TACHI

SIGNED SADAZANE, KAMAKURA PERIOD (13TH CENTURY)

Details
A BIZEN TACHI
SIGNED SADAZANE, KAMAKURA PERIOD (13TH CENTURY)
Sugata [configuration]: Honzukuri, iorimune, deep koshizori curve with fumbari, ko-kissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: Somewhat prominent itame, with jifu, ji-nie, and chikei
Hamon [tempering pattern]: Chu-suguha with komidare, ko-ashi, some nijuba in places on the omote, ko-nie with sunagashi
Boshi [tip]: Omote nijuba and sanju-ba with yakitsume, on the ura slight midarekomi with komaru kaeri
Nakago [tang]: Ubu, slight machi-okuri, shallow katte sagari file marks, three mekugi-ana, kurijiri tip
Habaki [collar]: Double gold-clad copper
Nagasa [length of blade]: 77.9cm.
Literature
Illustrated on the cover of the catalogue of the 2004 annual Daitoken Ichi [Great Sword Market] meeting in Tokyo, where this sword had precedence over a blade by Masamune which was illustrated inside the catalogue
Special notice
VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 15% on the buyer's premium

Lot Essay

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Juyo Token [Especially Important Sword], no. 263, issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword] at the 7th Tokubetsu Juyo Shinsa on November 20th 1980.

In old documents it is recorded that Sadazane was the son of Ko-Ichimonji Munetada and was active around the Hoji (1247-1249) era, but many of his existing blades have hamon of komidare strong in nie with no utsuri, and thus appear to be earlier than the documented works of Munetada. It seems more probable that he was one of the Ko-Bizen smiths. This tachi is Ubu (with possible slight machi-okuri) and of elegant form with a deep curve, fumbari and ko-kissaki. The jigane has prominent itame hada with much ji-nie and jifu, at first sight resembling the work of the Ko-Aoe School, and the suguha hamon with komidare and stretches of nijuba all combine to evince the ancient dignity of the swordsmiths' craft

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