AN OSAKA GASSAN SCHOOL KO-WAKIZASHI AFTER YASUTSUGU

Details

AN OSAKA GASSAN SCHOOL KO-WAKIZASHI AFTER YASUTSUGU
DATED 1968, SIGNED YASUTSUGU (NO) HOTO(O) UTSUSHI TATEMATSURU /RYUOJI SADATSUGU, KAO/(AOI-MON) HONO BISHU ATSUTA DAIMYOJIN

Configuration (sugata): of flat, wedge section (hira-zukuri) with tri-bevelled back (mitsu-mune); length (nagasa): 1 shaku, 1 sun, 8 bu (35.8cm.); curvature (sori): almost none; carving (horimono): inside (ura): flowering plum (baiju), outside (omote): bamboo and bamboo shoots (take-ni-takenoko).
Forging pattern (jihada): a small, tight wood grain (ko-itrame) with some grains of martensite (ji-nie).
Tempering pattern (hamon): jagged clove paterns (kataochi choji) with some small gonome in ko-nie, all combined with profuse 'legs' (ashi), 'swept sands' (sunagashi) and kinsuji.
Point (boshi): irregular (notare-komi) and medium round (chu-maru).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): wide and tapering; file marks (yasurime): kesho-yasuri; end (nakagojiri): V (kengyo); holes (mekugi-ana): none; signature (tachimei): Yasutsugu (no) Hoto(o) Utsushi Tatematsuru (a temple dedication sword after Yasutsugu)/Ryuoji Sadatsugu and kao; inside (ura): (Aoi-mon) Hono Bishu Atsuta Daimyojin (dedicated to the Daimyojin at the Atsuta [Shrine] in Bishu); date (jidai): Showa 43-nen 3-gatsu hi (a day in the 3rd month of Showa 43 [1968]).

Shirasaya with attestation by Homma Junji.

Silk storage bag; wood storage box with attestation by Homma Junji.

Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho token certificate, 179993, Showa 45 (1970), issued by the N.B.T.H.K.

Provenance

Acquired from the smith in 1968.

Literature

Compton, Sato, Homma, Ogawa (1976), no. 46, pl. XV and illustrated on the front cover of the exhibition catalogue.

Lot Essay

This wakizashi is a replica (utsushi) of a Juyo Bunkazai blade donated (hence no mekugi-ana) to the Daimyojin, Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, probably in June of 1607, by Echizen Yasutsugu I to commemorate recognition bestowed on him the previous year by the retired shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. This recognition entailed permission to use both the aoi-mon as part of his signature and the character "Yasu" from Ieyasu's name.

Takahashi/Ryuoshi Sadatsugu (1902-1968) began as a student of Gassan Sadakatsu in 1918 and was chosen as a student for the Central Sword Society which the Emperor Meiji had personally founded in order to promote the continuing arts of Japanese art swords. He is known for his excellent carving in the manner of Kinai and Myoju and in 1955 he became the first swordsmith to be accorded the rank of Living National Treasure.

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