Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchOrdering Number: AS25529Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)Signature: Hitachi Kami MuneshigeMotte Nanbantetsu Saku Kore常陸守宗重以南蛮鉄作之Shinto: Chujosaku: SettsuWe classify swords into Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku, and Regular Saku based on the swordsmith's skill.This work is ranked as Jyojyo Saku for Hitachi Kami Muneshige.Habaki: Single-layer suaka (raw copper) with gold iroe.Blade Length: 71.0 cm (27.95 in)Curvature (Sori): 2.0 cm (0.79 in)Mekugi-ana (peg hole): 1Width at Base (Motohaba): 2.96 cm (1.17 in)Width at Tip (Sakihaba): 1.84 cm (0.72 in)Thickness (Kasane): 0.70 cm (0.28 in)Sword Weight: 705 gramsShape: The blade has a somewhat wide mihaba with a standard kasane, deep curvature, and a slightly elongated kissaki.Jigane: The ko-itame hada is well-forged into a fine, high-quality jigane.Hamon: Begins as suguha (straight temper line) at the hamachi, then turns into gunome-midare (irregular wavy pattern).Sunagashi (flowing sand-like activity) is mixed within the gunome-midare, and the boshi turns back in ko-maru (small round).Features: Hitachi Kami Muneshige originally came from Harima Province.His real name was Tada Uhyoe, and he became a disciple of Tsuda Sukehiro.He first received the title of Hitachi Daijo.Because Nanban-tetsu (imported steel) was used, this is inscribed accordingly on the nakago (tang).At that time, swordsmiths favored Nanban-tetsu for its excellent cutting ability.Koshirae:Tsuba: A circular iron tsuba with chrysanthemum flowers in openwork (sukashi) carving.Signed Choshu Hagi Ju Kawai Tomonao Saku.Fuchikashira: Carved with a wave design on a shibuichi base.Saya: Black ishime-ji (stone-grain finish) saya.Menuki: Carved with a crane design on a shakudo base.NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon TokenAoi Art estimation paper: Whole OshigataPlease note: the price does not include the shipping fees.Auction Starting Price:700,000JPY落札者ありRelated Items:Katana:Echigo no Kami Kanesada(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)Katana:Osaka Gassan Sa
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Settsu · around 1661-1673
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
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The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
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