Lot Essay
The Meikan lists Tomokiyo as mid-Nambokucho, Oan era (1368-1374), but the style of the blade, together with its shape could point to a late Nambokucho date, possibly Oei era (1394-1427).
KAGA--FUJISHIMA
A KAGA FUJISHIMA TACHI
Details
A KAGA FUJISHIMA TACHI
MUROMACHI PERIOD (CIRCA 1400-1420), SIGNED FUJISHIMA TOMOKIYO SAKU
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and small point (ko-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 3 sun, 1 bu (70.1cm.); curvature (sori): strong koshi-zori of 2.0cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.1cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): small wood grain pattern (ko-itame) with ji-nie.
Tempering pattern (hamon): strongly pointed small irregular temper line (togari gonome) mixed with midare in ko-nie, together with 'swept sands' (sunagashi) and 'legs' (ashi).
Point (boshi): small and rounded (ko-maru).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): regular and unshortened (ubu); file marks (yasurime): slanted (katte-sagari); end (nakagojiri): prow-form (pointed kurijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Fujishima Tomokiyo saku.
Shirasaya with attestation signed Kunzan (Homma Junji).
Accompanied by a juyo token certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., dated Showa 53 (1978).
MUROMACHI PERIOD (CIRCA 1400-1420), SIGNED FUJISHIMA TOMOKIYO SAKU
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and small point (ko-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 3 sun, 1 bu (70.1cm.); curvature (sori): strong koshi-zori of 2.0cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.1cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): small wood grain pattern (ko-itame) with ji-nie.
Tempering pattern (hamon): strongly pointed small irregular temper line (togari gonome) mixed with midare in ko-nie, together with 'swept sands' (sunagashi) and 'legs' (ashi).
Point (boshi): small and rounded (ko-maru).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): regular and unshortened (ubu); file marks (yasurime): slanted (katte-sagari); end (nakagojiri): prow-form (pointed kurijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Fujishima Tomokiyo saku.
Shirasaya with attestation signed Kunzan (Homma Junji).
Accompanied by a juyo token certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., dated Showa 53 (1978).
Literature
Juyo token to zufu, vol. 26.
One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 38.
One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 38.