Details
A HIGO OTSUKI KATANA BY TWO SMITHS
EDO PERIOD, DATED 1768, SIGNED OTSUKI KIYOTERU TSUKURU AND OITE YUMOTO SASHU [NO] JU MASAYOSHI [SATSUMA MASACHIKA SCHOOL]
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 4 sun, 4.5 bu (74.3cm.); curvature (sori): shallow koshi-zori of 1.1cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.1cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): 'pear-skin' (nashiji) with delicate ji-nie.
Tempering pattern (hamon): irregularly flowing chusuguba with uraha and brilliantly executed 'swept sands' (sunagashi) which foggily appears and disappears along the hamon. The hamon is free of a distinct border allowing the patterns a visual impression of free-run.
Point (boshi): notare-komi with no kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): slender, strongly tapering, unshortened (ubu) and with a glossy blue-black patina; file marks (yasurime): slanted (katte-sagari), but becoming more sujikai near the end; end (nakagojiri): kengyo; holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Otsuki Kiyoteru tsukuru; inside: Oite Yumoto Sashu [no] ju Masayoshi, dated Meiwa 5 (1768), 2nd month.
Shirasaya.
EDO PERIOD, DATED 1768, SIGNED OTSUKI KIYOTERU TSUKURU AND OITE YUMOTO SASHU [NO] JU MASAYOSHI [SATSUMA MASACHIKA SCHOOL]
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 4 sun, 4.5 bu (74.3cm.); curvature (sori): shallow koshi-zori of 1.1cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.1cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): 'pear-skin' (nashiji) with delicate ji-nie.
Tempering pattern (hamon): irregularly flowing chusuguba with uraha and brilliantly executed 'swept sands' (sunagashi) which foggily appears and disappears along the hamon. The hamon is free of a distinct border allowing the patterns a visual impression of free-run.
Point (boshi): notare-komi with no kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): slender, strongly tapering, unshortened (ubu) and with a glossy blue-black patina; file marks (yasurime): slanted (katte-sagari), but becoming more sujikai near the end; end (nakagojiri): kengyo; holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Otsuki Kiyoteru tsukuru; inside: Oite Yumoto Sashu [no] ju Masayoshi, dated Meiwa 5 (1768), 2nd month.
Shirasaya.