AN ECHIZEN RAI KATANA

Details

AN ECHIZEN RAI KATANA
EARLY EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1660), SIGNED HOKKIO RAI KUNITSUGU NIUDO JUTETSU

Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 1 shaku, 9 sun (57.7cm.); curvature (sori): koshi-zori of 1.2cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.0cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): an attractive and well-executed combination of masame and 'pear-skin' (nashiji) together with some ji-nie.
Tempering pattern (hamon): chu-suguba in nioi and ko-nie.
Point (boshi): flame-brushed tip (hakikake) with short kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): regular and unshortened (ubu); file marks (yasurime): sujikai; end (nakagojiri): iriyamagata; holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Hokkio Rai Kunitsugu Niudo Jutetsu.

Shirasaya.

Accompanied by an origami by Fujishiro Matsuo dated Showa 61 (1986).

Literature

Kashima and Uchida, Shinto oshigata shu, vol. II, p. 596., description in vol. I, p. 111, blade no. 271.

Lot Essay

This smith is recorded as using Echizen Daijo Fujiwara Kunitsugu as his principal signature. In approximately 1660 he moved to Higo and changed his signature to Echizen [no] Kami Fujiwara Kunitsugu and about the same time took the Buddhist title Hokkio, as seen in this sword.

Fujishiro (Shinto-hen, p. 236) classes him as Yamashiro, Keian era (1648-51), but this seems somewhat doubtful.