A KYO HORIKAWA KUNIHIRO TANTO

Details

A KYO HORIKAWA KUNIHIRO TANTO
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1624), SIGNED AWA (NO) KAMI FUJIWARA ARIYOSHI

Configuration (sugata): of flat, wedge section (hira-zukuri) with tri-bevelled back (mitsu-mune); length (nagasa): 9 sun, 6.5 bu (29.3cm.).
Forging pattern (jihada): a rich, fine mokume in classical Horikawa style with an even distribution of fine burl with an overall and ordered turbulance in the pattern.
Tempering pattern (hamon): notare ending in yaki-dashi at the hamachi, all very much in the manner of a Muramasa blade; the flowing cloud-like nioi is underscored just below the hamon with a ghostly line of ko-nie paralleling the hamon in wispy configurations resembling sunagashi.
Point (boshi): rather thick and pointed and with a moderately long kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): wide and tapering and with a brown semi-moist patina; file marks (yasurime): slanted (katte-sagari); end (nakagojiri): rounded (kuri-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): two; signature (katana-mei): Awa (no) Kami Fujiwara Ariyoshi.

Shirasaya.

Aikuchi-koshirae comprising: a black lacquer saya; a tan-wrapped tsuka fitted with circular gold nanako menuki in the form of kaie-mon of the Hojo clan of Sayama; all the remaining mounts (fuchi kashira, hamadashi tsuba, kozuka, koiguchi, o-kojiri and kurigata) are in silver and deeply carved with crashing waves, unsigned, 19th century, probably Otsuki school--length of koshirae 44.5cm.; length of tsuka 11.9cm.; length of kozuka 8.4cm.

Two silk storage bags. Wood storage box.

Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho token certificate, no. 144460, Showa 43 (1968), by the N.B.T.H.K.

Provenance

Charles Marchal, Paris

Lot Essay

Polished and restored by Shoyo Hirai, 1968, under the direction of his brother, Hon'ami Nisshu.

Ariyoshi was a student of Kunihiro and his existing works are extremely rare. See Fujishiro, vol. 2, p. 370.

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