Live Auction 2688Japanese and Korean Art
A Gassan katana
Lot 643

A Gassan katana

EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY), UNSIGNED, ATTRIBUTED TO SADAYOSHI

Closed20 March 2013

Price Realised

USD 15,000

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A Gassan katana
Edo period (19th century), unsigned, attributed to Sadayoshi

Sugata [configuration]: Slender hon-zukuri, deep curve, iroi-mune, chu-gissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: O-itame nagare with masame, copious ji-nie
Hamon [tempering pattern]: Choji with many ashi, kinsuji, fine sunagashi, with predominantly gunome in the upper part, of nioi with ko-nie
Boshi [tip]: Slight notare-komi with yakitsume
Nakago [tang]: Ubu two overlapping mekugi-ana, one of which filled with copper, osujigai with kesho file marks
Habaki [collar]: Single copper
Koshirae [mounting]: Katana mounting, the saya lacquered brown with irregular linear shapes outlined in itobori with gold powder surikomi zogan, black horn kojiri, round iron tsuba with stylized wave forms and falling leaves, and circular arrays of inlaid brass dots, iron fuchigashira carved with dragonfly, menuki sets of three lightly gilt paulownia crests

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as a Hozon token (Sword worthy of preservation) no. 377402 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword), 2007.6.29

Previously sold in these Rooms, 24 March 2010, lot 561

Specialist note

Gassan Sadayoshi (1800--1870) was a smith of Dewa province, the home of the ancient Gassan school of sword-making which had been associated with the Shugendo mountain sect since the Heian period. He became a pupil of the revivalist smith Suishinshi Masahide in Edo, and later visited many provinces to study different traditions. The present Gassan family of Osaka descend from his adopted son, Sadakazu. Sadayoshi was proficient in a number of styles, including those of Yamato Hosho and Bizen like the present sword, and he revived the ayasugi hada of the ancient Gassan school. Indeed the jigane of this sword is close to ayasugi hada. Although unsigned, the firm yet sparsely placed osujigai file marks are unmistakable identification of both early and later work of the smith.