Live Auction 7316The Japanese Aesthetic
A MINO TRADITION BIZEN KATANA
Lot 254

A MINO TRADITION BIZEN KATANA

SIGNED MIMASAKA KUNI (NO) JU KUNIKAGE (SAKU CUT-AWAY), MUROMACHI - EARLY EDO PERIOD (LATE 16TH-EARLY 17TH CENTURY)

Closed7 November 2012

Price Realised

GBP 1,500

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A MINO TRADITION BIZEN KATANA
SIGNED MIMASAKA KUNI (NO) JU KUNIKAGE (SAKU CUT-AWAY), MUROMACHI - EARLY EDO PERIOD (LATE 16TH-EARLY 17TH CENTURY)
Sugata [configuration]: honzukuri, iori-mune, slender slight sakizori curve, ko-kissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: fine ko-itame nagae, masame on the shinogi-ji,with much large ji-nie
Hamon [tempering pattern]: suguha-cho with much sunagashi, kinsen
Boshi [tip]: ichimai with hakikake, long kaeri
Nakago [tang]: 1-2 cm. suriage, file marks o-sujikai, single mekugi-ana (enlarged with packing), kirijiri (cut)
Habaki [collar]: double gilt copper
Nagasa [length of blade]: 58.6cm.
Koshirae [mounting]: gunto koshirae with metal saya, with earlier round shibuichi migakiji tsuba adapted for the retaining catch, the kabutogane bears a silver mon with the name Ogawa

Ron Gregory collection (For details of the collector see lot 249)

Specialist note

The smith Kanekage, named Hirai Shinzaemon, was one of several generations of smiths working in Mino throughout the Muromachi period (15th-16th centuries). He went to Mimasaka (in present-day Okayama prefecture) and became established there during the Keicho era (1596-1615) era. to be followed by several further generations. But the characteristics of this sword rather smack of Muromachi period work.