Details
A KO-BIZEN TACHI
HEIAN PERIOD (CIRCA 10TH CENTURY), SIGNED [GAKU-MEI], TAKAHIRA
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 1 sun, 0.5 bu (63.8cm.); curvature (sori): koshi-zori of 2.0cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 0.8cm.; carving (horimono): kaki-nagashi bo-hi on both sides extending deeply into the tang.
Forging pattern (jihada): ko-mokume.
Tempering pattern (hamon): ko-midare with some sparse 'swept sands' (sunagashi) and becoming very slightly wider towards the yokote.
Point (boshi): small and rounded (ko-maru) with slight kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): o-suriage; file marks (yasurime): new (kiri-yasuri); end (nakagojiri): squared (kirijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katana gakumei): (inset) Takahira.
Gold habaki with Shimazu mon.
Shirasaya with attestation signed Ko shaku Iwakura ke, (Household of Prince Iwakura) and sealed.
Accompanied by an origami (photostat copy only), signed by the Shimazu [daimyo of Satsuma] household claiming that the blade had been a gohairyo, a present from the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu who travelled to the Shimazu Sakurada Mansion and presented the blade on Kanei 7 (1630), 4th month, 18th day; and an origami, signed by the Iwakura household, dated Meiji 23 (1890), stating that Shimazu presented the blade as a present [to Iwakura Totomi].
HEIAN PERIOD (CIRCA 10TH CENTURY), SIGNED [GAKU-MEI], TAKAHIRA
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 1 sun, 0.5 bu (63.8cm.); curvature (sori): koshi-zori of 2.0cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 0.8cm.; carving (horimono): kaki-nagashi bo-hi on both sides extending deeply into the tang.
Forging pattern (jihada): ko-mokume.
Tempering pattern (hamon): ko-midare with some sparse 'swept sands' (sunagashi) and becoming very slightly wider towards the yokote.
Point (boshi): small and rounded (ko-maru) with slight kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): o-suriage; file marks (yasurime): new (kiri-yasuri); end (nakagojiri): squared (kirijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katana gakumei): (inset) Takahira.
Gold habaki with Shimazu mon.
Shirasaya with attestation signed Ko shaku Iwakura ke, (Household of Prince Iwakura) and sealed.
Accompanied by an origami (photostat copy only), signed by the Shimazu [daimyo of Satsuma] household claiming that the blade had been a gohairyo, a present from the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu who travelled to the Shimazu Sakurada Mansion and presented the blade on Kanei 7 (1630), 4th month, 18th day; and an origami, signed by the Iwakura household, dated Meiji 23 (1890), stating that Shimazu presented the blade as a present [to Iwakura Totomi].
Provenance
Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, 1604-1651 (purported)
Shimazu Family, daimyo of Satsuma (purported)
Prince Iwakura Totomi
Lillard P. Miller, San Antonio, Texas
Shimazu Family, daimyo of Satsuma (purported)
Prince Iwakura Totomi
Lillard P. Miller, San Antonio, Texas