A SATSUMA KO-NAMINOHIRA TANTO

Details

A SATSUMA KO-NAMINOHIRA TANTO
NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD (CIRCA 1350), SIGNED NAMONOHIRA YASUTSUGU

Configuration (sugata): flat (hira-zukuri), with shallow peaked back (iori-mune); length (nagasa): 9 sun, 4 bu (28.2cm.); curvature (sori): very slight (wazuka); carving (horimono): bo-hi with pointed ends (kaki-nagashi) on both sides.
Forging pattern (jihada): wood grain (itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): narrow (hososuguba) and with some areas of 'swept sands' (sunagashi).
Point (boshi): small and rounded (ko-maru) flame-brushed tip (hakikake).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): regular and unshortened (ubu) and with a dryish, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): slanted (katte-sagari); end (nakagojiri): rounded (kurijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): two; signature (mei): Naminohira Yasutsugu.

Shirasaya with attestation signed Kunzan (Homma Junji).

Accompanied by a juyo token certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., dated Showa 45 (1970).

Provenance

Ikeda family collection

Literature

Juyo token to zufu, vol. 19.
Satsuma-to meisaku-shu
One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 34.

Lot Essay

The origins of the Naminohira school lie in Yamato Province. Yasutsugu is one of the earliest of the Ko-Naminohira smiths. After the Nambokucho period, the smiths of this School are referred to as Sue-Naminohira. This tanto is not only in an excellent state of preservation, but its open itame and subtle hamon evoke the feeling of a Yamato blade.