SIGNED KURIHARA CHIKUZEN (NO) KAMI TAIRA ASON NOBUHIDE AND DATED MEIJI 2ND 8-GATSU HI [1869]

Details

A Shin-Shinto Katana
Signed Kurihara Chikuzen (no) kami Taira Ason Nobuhide and dated Meiji 2nd 8-gatsu hi [1869]
Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri [longituginal ridge], chu-kissaki [medium point], mitsu-mune [tri-bevelled back]

Kitae [forging pattern]: a combination of itame [wood grain] and running mokume [burl wood grain], ji-nie [hard metal granules] and chikei [short lines of nie]

Hamon [tempering pattern]: a combination of squared and rounded gunome midare [small pointed curves] and togari-ba with ashi, nie, sunagashi and kinsuji

Boshi [tip]: notare [undulating line] with togari [pointed] on omote and midare on ura, both sides with deep turnback and hakikake [brushed tip]

Horimono [carvings]: Ameno uzume no mikoto [God of entertainment] with clouds on the omote, cherry blossoms and tree on the ura

Nakago [tang]: ubu [unaltered] with katte sagari [diagonal file marks sloping towards the back of the tang], one mekugi-ana [hole for retaining pegs], kurijiri [rounded heel]

Fitted with gold habaki [collar] chiseled with ho-o birds

Shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Nagasa [length from tip to beginning of tang]: 26 5/16in. (66.85cm.)
Sori [curvature]: 5/8in. (1.7cm)
Motohaba [width at start of tempered edge]: 1 1/16in. (2.75cm)
Sakihaba [width before tip]: ¾in. (2.1cm)

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium

Lot Essay

With original certificate of registration as a Juyo token [Important sword] by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozonkai Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword] on 12 September 1991.

Nobuhide was born in 1815 in Echigo province and moved to Kyoto in 1829 to be a Kagami-shi [mirror craftsman]. He became a pupil of Kiyomaro in Edo in 1850. He later moved to Osaka and was named Chikuzen no kami in 1865. He continued making swords in Osaka until 1867. He then moved back to Echigo via Edo in 1874 and died in Tokyo in 1880. Nobuhide was one of the best pupils of Kiyomaro and was famous for his horimono.

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