SIGNED AWATAGUCHI OMI NO KAMI TADATSUNA, EARLY EDO PERIOD (LATE 17TH CENTURY)

Details

A SHINTO KATANA
REGISTERED AS A JUYO TOKEN [IMPORTANT SWORD]
Signed Awataguchi Omi no kami Tadatsuna, Early Edo Period (Late 17th Century)
Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri [longitudinal ridge], chu-kissaki [medium point], iori-mune [shallow peaked back]

Kitae [forging pattern]: ko-itame [fine wood grain] with fine jinie [hard metal granules over the surface of the blade]

Hamon [tempering pattern]: onotare [widely undulating line] with slight passages of gunome [small pointed curves], rich in nie [hard metal granules] and with sunagashi [thick lines of nie]

Boshi [tip]: sugu ni komaru [straight and then gently turned-back temper line] with hakikake [brushed tip]

Horimono [carvings]: one side carved with a kurikata [dragon and sword] the other with bonji [Sanskrit characters] and goma [parellel grooves with claw-shaped endings]

Nakago [tang]: ubu [unaltered] with sujikai yasurime [diagonal file marks descending to the right], one mekugi-ana [hole for the retaining peg], ha-agari-kurijiri [rounded heel rising sharply on the blade side], signed with a thick chisel on one side Awataguchi Omi no kami Tadatsuna [Awataguchi Tadatsuna, Guardian of Omi province] and on the other horimono dosaku [who also did the blade carving]

Fitted with a two-tier gilt habaki [collar]

Shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]
Overall length of blade: 36½in. (92.7cm.)
Nagasa [length from tip to beginning of tang]: 27 7/8in. (70.8cm.)
Sori [curvature]: 3/4in. (1.9cm.)
Motohaba [width at start of tempered edge]: 1 5/16in. (3.3cm.)
Sakihaba [width before tip]: 15/16in. (2.4cm.)

Provenance

Exhibited

With certificate of re-registration as a Juyo token [Important sword] by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai on 23 March 2001, first certificated on 10 July 1976

Special notice

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

Lot Essay

The blades and blade-carvings of this smith are generally considered to be superior to those made by his father, the first generation of the Awataguchi Omi no kami Tadatsuna line; in fact carvings by the second Tadatsuna are known as Ikkanshi in allusion to his art-name. His dated blades were made between 1672 and 1716. Deeply and powerfully cut with a flamboyant sense of decoration, Tadatsuna's carvings reflect the artistic ethos of the Genroku period (1688-1704), an era renowned for striking and inventive design in clothing, lacquer, ceramics and painting as well as swords. The dramatic toranha hamon shows the influence of Sukehiro, but the addition of passages of gunome is an expression of Tadatsuna's personal style.

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