THE METAL FITTINGS SIGNED KIKUCHI TAKEJIRO, MEIJI PERIOD (1894)

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A MAGNIFICENT OUTSIZE TACHI [SLUNG-SWORD] MOUNTING
THE METAL FITTINGS SIGNED KIKUCHI TAKEJIRO, MEIJI PERIOD (1894)
THE KABUTOGANE [POMMEL], THE MENUKI [HILT-FITTING], THE RIM OF THE TSUBA [HAND-GUARD], THE OBITORI [HANGER-FITTINGS], THE FIVE SEMEGANE [SCABBARD-RINGS], AND THE ISHIZUKI [BUTT-DECORATION] ALL OF SILVERED AND GILT METAL CHISELLED WITH HO-O [PHOENIX] AND KIRI [PAULOWNIA] DESIGNS, THE KABUTOGANE MODELLED AS THE HEAD OF A HO-O, THE REST OF THE SURFACE RICHLY WORKED IN COPPER WIRE WITH POLYCHROME ENAMELS ON A BLACK ENAMEL GROUND DEPICTING REPEATED HO-O AND KIRI DESIGNS, THE OBITORI STRAPS OF PURPLE-DYED LEATHER, THE TYING CORD OF RED SILK, THE TENUKI NO O [HILT TASSEL] OF PURPLE-DYED LEATHER WITH ENAMELLED FINIALS DECORATED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE REST OF THE MOUNTING, SIGNED ON THE REVERSE OF THE TWO SMALLER SEPPA [GUARD-WASHERS] RESPECTIVELY MEIJI NIJUSHICHINEN UMA JUNIGATSU KIKUCHI TAKEJIRO KORE O SAKU [MADE BY KIKUCHI TAKEJIRO IN THE TWELFTH MONTH OF THE TWENTY-SEVENTH, HORSE, YEAR OF MEIJI (1894)] AND DAINIHONTEIKOKU MUSASHI NO KUNI NO JUNIN TOKYO KANDA-KU HIGASHI MATSUSHITA-CHO TOKEN KANAGUSHI [SWORD-FITTING MAKER OF HIGASHI MATSUSHITA-CHO, KANDA-KU, TOKYO IN THE PROVINCE OF MUSASHI IN THE GREAT JAPANESE EMPIRE], CONTAINING A BLADE INSCRIBED ON ONE SIDE OF THE TANG NAGASONE KOTETSU NYUDO OKISATO KORE O UTSUSU [COPIED BY NAGASONE KOTETSU NYUDO OKISATO] AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TANG SAGAMI NO KUNI NO JUNIN GORO NYUDO MASAMUNE SAKU [MADE BY GORO NYUDO MASAMUNE OF SAGAMI PROVINCE]
OVERALL LENGTH 280CM.; DIAMETER OF TSUBA 27.5CM.; LENGTH OF BLADE 177CM.

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Lot Essay

AT MORE THAN NINE FEET IN LENGTH THIS EXTRAORDINARY MOUNTING IS BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST EVER MADE. WHILE THE ENAMELS ARE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN EXECUTED IN EITHER KYOTO OR NAGOYA, THE METAL FITTINGS WERE MADE BY KIKUCHI TAKEJIRO, A TOKYO-BASED MAKER OF TACHI FITTINGS WHO DIED IN 1906.¹ WHEN FULLY ASSEMBLED THE MOUNTING WAS PROBABLY OFFERED FOR SALE IN ONE OF THE MANY CURIO SHOPS IN YOKOHAMA AND TOKYO. IT WAS IN THE UNITED STATES BY 1916.

¹ ROBERT E. HAYNES, THE INDEX OF JAPANESE SWORD FITTINGS AND ASSOCIATED ARTISTS (ELLWANGEN, 2001), NO. 9379.

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