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A SOSHU KATANA REGISTERED AS A TOKUBETSU JUYO TOKEN [EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT SWORD]

UNSIGNED, TRADITIONALLY ATTRIBUTED TO NORISHIGE, LATE KAMAKURA PERIOD (14TH CENTURY)

Details

A SOSHU KATANA
REGISTERED AS A TOKUBETSU JUYO TOKEN [EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT SWORD]
Unsigned, Traditionally Attributed to Norishige, Late Kamakura Period (14th Century)
Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri [longitudinal ridge], chu-kissaki nobiru [slightly elongated medium point], mitsumune [tri-bevelled back]

Kitae [forging pattern]: a combination of itame [wood grain] with matsukawahada [pine-bark texure], with jinie [hard metal granules over the surface of the blade] and chikei [short lines of nie]

Hamon [tempering pattern]: broad suguha [straight temper line] with gentle notare [undulations], compact nie [hard metal granules], kinsuji [bright curved threadlike areas] and sunagashi [thick lines of nie]

Boshi [tip]: komaru [gently turned-back temper line]

Horimono [carvings]: a single bohi [groove] on each side continuing down to the heel

Nakago [tang]: osuriage [substantially shortened] with kiri yasurime [horizontal file marks], two mekugi-ana [holes for retaining pegs], the heel cut off at right angles

Fitted with a two-tier gilt habaki [collar]

Shirasaya [plain wood scabbard] with inscription by Honma Kunzan, dated 1979

Black-lacquered katana koshirae [set of mounts] comprising: black-lacquered saya [scabbard] carved in a spiral; tsuka [hilt] covered in black sharkskin and wrapped in brown stencilled leather forming a lozenge pattern; gold-ground menuki [hilt decorations] each worked as three conjoined kiri-mon [paulownia crests]; gold-ground kashira [fitting at the end of the hilt] and fuchi [hilt collar] carved with wave patterns, signed Hakuosai Kazan with a kao [cursive monogram]; the koikuchi [scabbard mouth], kurikata [cord fitting], kojiri [scabbard butt], kozuka [knife] and kogai [skewer] in matching materials and designs, the kozuka and kogai each signed Hakuosai Kazan; gold-ground circular tsuba [hand guard] also with wave patterns, signed Hakuosai Kazan with a kao, Showa Period (20th Century), diameter 2 11/16in. (6.9cm.); brown stencilled leather hilt binding, Edo Period
Overall length of blade: 32¼in. (81.9cm.)
Nagasa [length from tip to beginning of tang]: 25in. (63.6cm.)
Sori [curvature]: 11/16in. (1.8cm.)
Motohaba [width at start of tempered edge]: 1 13/16in. (3cm.)
Sakihaba [width before tip]: 7/8in. (2.2cm.) (2)

Provenance

At the time of its registration (see below), in the possession of Manno Takaaki

Exhibited

With certificate of re-registration as a Tokubetsu juyo token [Exceptionally important sword] by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai on 23 March 2001, first certificated on 20 November 1980

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

Another pupil of Shintogo Kunimitsu, Norishige is credited with taking the Soshu style of blade manufacture to new heights, but his blades also exhibit some unusual individual features such as the forging pattern known as matsukawahada [pine-bark texture].

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