A SHINSHINTO EDO SUISHINSHI WAKIZASHI

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A SHINSHINTO EDO SUISHINSHI WAKIZASHI
LATE EDO PERIOD, DATED KOKA 3 (1846), SIGNED SUISHINSHI MASATSUGU WITH KAO (NONBEI MASATSUGU [MASAHIDE III])

Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi), without yokote and meeting at the point (shobu-zukuri); curvature (sori): very shallow (0.3cm.).
Forging pattern (jihada): generally a fine, well-demarcated wood grain (itame) with some discreet burl (mokume) inclusions. Tempering pattern (hamon): shallow invections (gonome) and irregular undulations intermixed with small irregular (komidare) patterns highlighted in excellent, very bright nie becoming brightly linear (kinsuji) in areas.
Point (boshi): slender and brush-like (hakikake) and reversing on the shinogi into long kaeri.
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): regular, with the shinogi extending the full length and with a thin, dry, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): kesho-yasuri; end (nakagojiri): rounded (kuri-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (katanamei): Suishinshi Masatsugu with kao; inside (ura): Buun Chokyu (Good luck in war); date (jidai): Koka 3-nen 11-gatsu kichi-nichi (an auspicious day in the 11th month of Koka 3 [1846]).

Shirasaya.

Wakizashi-koshirae comprising: a widely ribbed black lacquer saya decorated with common wisteria in hiramaki-e and fitted with a black horn kurikata and gilt nanako uragawara (probably not original); the black-wrapped tsuka is fitted with a pair of gold and shakudo menuki in the form of sprays of chrysanthemum and with a pair of shakudo ishime fuchi-kashira in Nara style applied with numerous birds in flight through rain, unsigned; iron Choshu tsuba openwork with a crane in flight over chrysanthemum and a brushwood fence; iron kozuka with applied gilt kirimon on a bar, unsigned--length of koshirae 65cm.; length of tsuka 16.3cm.; length of kozuka 9.2cm.; diameter of tsuba 7.4cm.

Silk storage bag.

Lot Essay

Masatsugu, a student of Naotane, was third in linear descent from Masahide, and is called Masahide III. On occasion he signed his blades Suishinshi Masahide. He died in 1860 and is also known by the sobriquet of Nonbei Masatsugu (Masatsugu the Drunk).

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