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

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

Details

A SOSHU KATANA
REGISTERED AS A TOKUBETSU JUYO TOKEN [EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT SWORD]
Unsigned, Traditionally Attributed to Sadamune, Late Kamakura Period (14th Century)
Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri [longitudinal ridge], chu-kissaki [medium point], iori-mune [shallow peaked back]

Kitae [forging pattern]: flowing itame [wood grain] with thick jinie [hard metal granules over the surface of the blade] and chikei [short lines of nie]

Hamon [tempering pattern]: a combination of ko-notare [small undulations] with ko-gunome [small pointed curves at frequent intervals], incorporating small ashi [lines projecting into the hardened edge], kinsuji [bright curved threadlike areas] and sunagashi [thick lines of nie]

Boshi [tip]: basically komaru [gently turned-back temper line] but slightly straight

Horimono [carvings]: a single bohi [groove] on each side continuing into the tang

Nakago [tang]: osuriage [substantially shortened] with sujikai yasurime [diagonal file marks descending to the right], two mekugi-ana [holes for retaining pegs], tsurugisakijiri [pointed heel]

Fitted with a two-tier gold and gilt habaki [collar]

Black-lacquered katana koshirae [set of mounts] comprising: black-lacquered saya [scabbard]; tsuka [hilt] covered in black sharkskin and wrapped in blue leather formed a lozenge pattern; black- lacquered horn kashira [fitting at the end of the hilt], koikuchi [scabbard mouth], kurikata, kaerizuno [cord fittings] and kojiri [scabbard butt]; shakudo nanako [copper-gold alloy worked with a granulated ground] fuchi [hilt collar] worked in relief with mon [crests], signed Nagamitsu Joshu no ju Umetada; gilt menuki [hilt decorations] worked in relief as dragons; oval iron tsuba [hand guard] in Kyo-sukashi style pierced with flowers in bud, 16th century, diameter 3 1/8in. (7.9cm.); shakudo nanako kogai [skewer] worked in relief with a hijogi [ruler] designs, with blue leather hilt binding; and a brown-lacquered katana koshirae, both modern
Overall length of blade: 34 11/16in. (88.1cm.)
Nagasa [length from tip to beginning of tang]: 27 3/16in. (69.1cm.)
Sori [curvature]: 9/16in. (1.4cm.)
Motohaba [width at start of tempered edge]: 1 1/8in. (2.9cm.)
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 9 March 1978

Special notice

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

Lot Essay

Of all the many pupils of the great Sagami-province smith Masamune (see also lot 4), Sadamune is generally believed to have most faithful to the master's style; according to one tradition he was Masamune's son. Although few if any authentic signed works of Sadamune are known, his style was comparatively uniform and unvarying, so that this blade can be confidently assigned to him on grounds of the hamon [tempering pattern] with its combination of the gently undulating notare with the more sharply articulated gunome and the wood-grain forging pattern with jinie and chikei. His blades are gentler in appearance than those of his great master, with much quieter deployment of the shiny particles of crystalline steel known as nie.

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