Live Auction 7316The Japanese Aesthetic
A HIZEN KATANA
Lot 268

A HIZEN KATANA

SIGNED HIZEN (NO) KUNI KAWACHI (NO) KAMI MASAHIRO, EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY)

Closed7 November 2012

Price Realised

GBP 17,500

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A HIZEN KATANA
SIGNED HIZEN (NO) KUNI KAWACHI (NO) KAMI MASAHIRO, EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY)
Sugata [configuration]: honzukuri, iori-mune, shallow curve, blade narrowing towards the kissaki, chu-gissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: fine ko-itame with an overall dispersal of ko-nie
Hamon [tempering pattern]: gunome choji of ko-nie, ashi-naga choji
Boshi [tip]: kaen
Nakago [tang]: ubu, single mekugi-ana, osujikai file marks, iriyamagata-jiri
Habaki [collar]: double copper gilt
Nagasa [length of blade]: 74.1cm.
Koshirae [mounting]: katana mounting, the saya polished samgawa, fuchi, kashira, and kojiri ivory with the Satsuma Shimazu mon in gold lacquer, menuki of gold shishi among shakudo peonies, the oval iron tsuba pierced with 'sea cucumber' design, and with key-fret in brass inlay

By repute handed down through several generations of the Komaki family, retainers of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma province.

Specialist note

The smith is Masahiro II (1626 - 1700), the second of six or so generations of the Hashimoto family of the Tadayoshi line of Hizen province. He first signed using the name Masanaga, as had his father Masahiro I, and was granted the titles Musashi daijo and later Musashi no kami. His swords are regarded as highly as those of the first generation.

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation] no. 121024 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword] on 1st February 1990