AN OSAKA INOUE KATANA

Details

AN OSAKA INOUE KATANA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1630), SIGNED IZUMI [NO] KAMI FUJIWARA KUNISADA

Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 4 sun, 6 bu (74.8cm.); curvature (sori): shallow koshi-zori of 1.7cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 0.9cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): fine wood grain (ko-itame).
Tempering pattern (hamon): undulations (gonome) with some clove-like patterns (choji) and 'legs' (ashi) in nioi and ko-nie, ending in a yakidashi at the end of the hamachi.
Point (boshi): the inside is small and rounded (ko-maru) and the outside has a flame-brushed tip (hakikake).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): tapering and unshortened (ubu); file marks (yasurime): o-sujikai; end (nakagojiri): rounded 'V' (kurijiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Izumi [no] Kami Fujiwara Kunisada.

Shirasaya with attestation signed Kunzan (Homma Junji).

Accompanied by a juyo token certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., dated Showa 48 (1973).

Literature

Juyo token to zufu, vol. 21.
One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 41.

Lot Essay

Kunisada I, known as Oya Kunisada, was the father of the famous Inoue Shinkai, also known in his early years as Kunisada II (see lot----). Like Kunisuke, Kunisada I was a disciple of Horikawa Kunihiro and is known to have been producing blades between the Genma era (1610) and the 4th year of Keian (1651).

This example, based on the strong signature and the self-confidence of shape and tempering, can be dated tentatively to the early 1630s, the zenith of his career.