Ordering number: 23355
Katana: In Shirasaya with Koshirae(NBTHK Hozon Token)
Inscription: Goto Naohiro(judged as Dotanuki school)
Tempo 11 Nen 12 Gatsu Hi
Scabbard Description: “Higo Dotanuki Gotō Naohiro,” “Koyama Jutarō Munehiro-dojin,” Tenpō 11th year, December, Healthy Jihada, Blade length: 2 shaku 3 sun 2 bu (70.30 cm), “Bizen no Koku” signature, “Kaō” (stylized artist signature)
In our company, we categorize swords as “Superior Works,” “Excellent Works,” “High-Quality Works,” and “Standard Works” based on the skill of the swordsmith. This work is classified as a “High-Quality Work.”
Polished.
Habaki: Single-layered gold-plated habaki.
Blade length: 2 shaku 3 sun 2 bu (70.30 cm) or 27.64 inches
Curvature: 5 bu (1.51 cm) or 0.59 inches
Peg hole: 1
Width at Hamachi: 3.2 cm or 1.26 inches
Width at the tip: 1.96 cm or 0.77 inches
Thickness: 0.84 cm or 0.33 inches
Sword weight: 840 grams or 1.85 pounds
Era: Around the Tenpō era of the Edo period (1681).
Shape: The sword has a well-balanced width and thickness, a moderate curvature, and an elongated kissaki, making it a well-shaped work.
Jigane: The itamehada (wood grain) is well-compressed, revealing the Higo Dotanuki’s distinctive skin texture. Particularly, the jigane (ground steel) is well-defined, with masamehada (straight grain pattern) and excellent jigane appearance.
Hamon: A midare (irregular) pattern with bo-utsuri (hazy areas) that gracefully extends from the ha (blade edge) to the kissaki, featuring abundant hataraki (activities) and chaotic gunome (wave-like pattern) at the habuchi (temper line).
Characteristics: Gotō Naohiro was a swordsmith who belonged to the Dotanuki school and worked from the late Muromachi period to the late Edo period. He is a rare swordsmith from the Tenpō era of the Edo period. He was a student of Naomasa and was also known as Koyama Jutarō. He used the names “Munehiro,” “Munemitsu,” and “Naomitsu” with the Dotanuki signature. During the Tenpō era, many famous swordsmiths were active, which I believe was due to the production of high-quality tamahagane (steel used for swords). As mentioned in the scabbard description, it is stated that the blade is “healthy” and well-made, making it a highly recommended piece.
Mountings:
Tsuba: The iron tsuba is in the shape of a gourd, decorated with the Big Dipper in gold and silver-colored enamel on one side and flowing water in gold and silver-colored enamel on the other side.
Scabbard: The gray-colored scabbard features a design resembling the trunk of a black tree, with the fuchikashira, habaki, and kurigata depicted in shibuichi (alloy of copper and silver), and cherry blossoms in gold-colored enamel.
Menuki: The menuki depicts flowers in reddish copper and gold-colored enamel on a long broom-like object.
A word from Aoi Art: This is an extremely rare work by Gotō Naohiro (Dotanuki), with well-defined itame and visible skin texture. The hamon is also well-executed. The mountings are also meticulously crafted. We highly recommend this Tenpō-period Dotanuki sword.
Historical background: During the Tenpō era of the Edo period, high-quality steel began to be produced, leading to the creation of excellent swords.
NBTHK Hozon Token paper
Aoi Art estimation paper: whole Oshigata by Ayaka Tsuruta
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