BUNGO
AN EARLY BUNGO TACHI
Details
AN EARLY BUNGO TACHI
KAMAKURA PERIOD (PROBABLY 13TH CENTURY), INSCRIBED [CHO]EN
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and boar's neck point (ikubi-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 3 sun, 4 bu (71.2cm.); curvature (sori): 2.2cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.0cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): wood and straight wood grains (masame mokume).
Tempering pattern (hamon): suguba komidare in nioi with some ko-nie, becoming slightly wavy in the monouchi.
Point (boshi): flame-brushed tip (hakikake).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): squared and o-suriage; file marks (yasurime): indistinct; end (nakagojiri): rounded (kuri-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (tachimei): [Cho]en.
Shirasaya.
Accompanied by an origami (photostat only) bearing the name of the Shimazu household (daimyo of Satsuma) stating that the sword was once in the possession of Seiwa Yanagisawa, a direct descendant of Seiwa (ruled 858-876).
KAMAKURA PERIOD (PROBABLY 13TH CENTURY), INSCRIBED [CHO]EN
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and boar's neck point (ikubi-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 3 sun, 4 bu (71.2cm.); curvature (sori): 2.2cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.0cm.
Forging pattern (jihada): wood and straight wood grains (masame mokume).
Tempering pattern (hamon): suguba komidare in nioi with some ko-nie, becoming slightly wavy in the monouchi.
Point (boshi): flame-brushed tip (hakikake).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): squared and o-suriage; file marks (yasurime): indistinct; end (nakagojiri): rounded (kuri-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): one; signature (tachimei): [Cho]en.
Shirasaya.
Accompanied by an origami (photostat only) bearing the name of the Shimazu household (daimyo of Satsuma) stating that the sword was once in the possession of Seiwa Yanagisawa, a direct descendant of Seiwa (ruled 858-876).
Provenance