Katana:□Nobu saku (Ko Ichimonji)(NBTHK the 43rd Juyo Token)

Ordering number: 22106
Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae(NBTHK the 43rd Juyo Token)(consignment sale)

Signature :□Nobu saku (Ko Ichimonji)
□信作(古一文字)

Sayagaki:(translation)
front: NBTHK the 43 Juyo Token. Ko-Ichimonji from Bizen Kuni. There is 3 letter Mei near the tip of Nakago, the first letter is too unclear to read. Fukuoka Ichimonji school was making swords from the early Kamakura period to the mid Kamakura period. The swordsmiths in the early Kamakura period are called Ko(old)-Ichimonji. Their characteristics are different from the mid Kamakura period. The blade is thin and tracing Ko-Bizen, a little bit skills appear on the blade. This Katana has thin blade with Komidare mixed with Ko-Choji with Konie: Their characteristics appear really well. This is an absolute masterpiece.
back: Blade Length 2 Shaku 1 Sun 6 Bu. Written in April, Reiwa Mizunoe Tora(2022) by Tanzan(Kao)

(We divide 4 sections for each .sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Saijyo saku ranking.
This blade was polished by one of the most skilled polisher.
Habaki: Gold foiled double Habaki
Blade length:66.6cm or 26.22inches.
Sori:1.4cm or 0.55inches.
Mekugi:2
Width at the hamachi:2.49cm or 0.98inches.
Width at the Kissak:1.74cm or 0.68inches.
Kasane:0.53cm or 0.20inches.
The weight of the sword:510grams
Era:The early Kamakura period
Shape:Suriage, a little bit unclear but almost perfectly left Mei, with deep Sori and normal Kissaki.
Jigane: Koitamehada is mixed with Mokumehada, Chikei comes in and Kinsuji works.
Hamon: Koniedeki Chojimidare, Ko-Chojimidare, Ko-Gunomemidare with Kinsuji. Boshi turns back round.

Special feature: Fukuoka Ichimonji school was founded by Norimune in the early Kamakura period and flourished in the mid Kamakura period the most. Famous swordsmiths are: Norimune, Sukemune, Narimune, Muneyoshi, Munetada, Shigehisa, and Sadazane. Among them, the swordsmiths in the early Kamakura period are called as Ko(old)-Ichimonji and their characteristics are far different from the elegant ones in the mid Kamakura period and strongly influenced by Ko(old)-Bizen swords especially in the area of making blade. This Tachi is Suriage, but thin and elegant Koshizori-shaped with Kite of Itame mixed with Mokume, and Hamon of Ko-Choji and Ko-Gunome. The letter above Nobu(信) is unclear but these characteristics are the proof for the judgment as Ko-Ichimonji. There are lots of Nie in Hachu and Kinsuji comes in: there are lots of works. We can observe a lot of beautiful points of the school in this blade.

Koshirae:
Tsuba:Round shape iron Tsuba, clouds are painted with gold color.
The rim is covered with gold.
Fuchikashira: Shakudo Nanako, Shishi dog is engraved with gold color.
Saya: Blacl color Kawarinuri Saya.
Menuki: Shakudo plate, some design is engraved.
Kojiri: signature: Katsumori(Kao), some plants are engraved.
Kozuka:signature:Watanabe Masanori, Shakudo Nanako plate with Katabami Mon.
Kogai:signature: Ishuguro Masa?(Kao),Shakudo Nanako plate with Katabami Mon.
Kogatana:signature:Nagasone Kotetsu.

From Aoi Art: Beautifully polished to make Jigane and Hamon look really beautiful. There is no Hi on Shinogiji, so we can observe Jigane very well: beautiful Itamehada and Mokumehada, the characteristics of those days. Tsuruta could read the Mei as Nobu(信) “Fusa(房)”, but NBTHK had judged as Saku(作). It had been preserved by Daimyo family and we truly recommend this sword to you. Koshirae is a set of dragonfly patterns.

NBTHK the 43rd Juyo Token
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata by Ayaka Tsuruta

Price:7,000,000 JPY-.

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