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Lot Essay
Accompanied by a certificate of registration as a Tokubetsu Kicho Token [Especially valuable sword] no. 176012 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the preservation of the Japan Art Sword] on 16th November 1969.
The first smith signing Nobukuni of Yamashiro province is said to have been a pupil of Masamune of Sagami, and to have studied under him in the Kenmu era (1334 - 36, or 38). He is believed to have been the son of Ryo Hisanobu and grandson of Ryokai (see lot 52) of Kyoto. Several generations followed and it is difficult to distinguish between works of the later members of the group. However the present sword being is dated to 1446 during the reign of Emperor Go Hanazono is possibly by the long-lived son of the third generation Sadamitsu, whose blades are sometimes signed Nobukuni with the added Buddhist name Shoun. The two bonji [sanskrit characters] on the blade appear to be variations for the deity Fudo-Myo-O [Acala – the Immoveable King of Light], while the kiti-tsuke mei of Hachiman Dai Bosatsu invokes the god of war Hachiman in his Bodhisattva form.
The first smith signing Nobukuni of Yamashiro province is said to have been a pupil of Masamune of Sagami, and to have studied under him in the Kenmu era (1334 - 36, or 38). He is believed to have been the son of Ryo Hisanobu and grandson of Ryokai (see lot 52) of Kyoto. Several generations followed and it is difficult to distinguish between works of the later members of the group. However the present sword being is dated to 1446 during the reign of Emperor Go Hanazono is possibly by the long-lived son of the third generation Sadamitsu, whose blades are sometimes signed Nobukuni with the added Buddhist name Shoun. The two bonji [sanskrit characters] on the blade appear to be variations for the deity Fudo-Myo-O [Acala – the Immoveable King of Light], while the kiti-tsuke mei of Hachiman Dai Bosatsu invokes the god of war Hachiman in his Bodhisattva form.