Ordering number: 23329
Tanto in Shirasaya with Koshirae (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)
Inscription (Mei): Masatsune (around 10th generation)
政常(十代頃)
We categorize our swordsmiths’ works as Juyo-saku (highest quality), Jojo-saku (excellent), Jo-saku (good), and Futsu-saku (average). This piece is ranked as an excellent work.
Polished and sharpened.
Habaki: Gold-colored decoration on a copper base.
Blade Length: 23.1 centimeters or 9.09 inches
Curvature: 0.0 centimeters or 0.0 inches
Mekugi-ana (peg holes): 2
Width at the Base: 2.7 centimeters or 1.06 inches
Thickness: 0.78 centimeters or 0.31 inches
Weight: 210 grams
Era: Keio period of the Edo era
Shape: A thick, stout short sword with Mitsumune shape.
Jigane (forging pattern): A well-forged and compacted fine jigane with a ko-itamehada (small wood grain) pattern.
Hamon (temper pattern): A straight temper line (chū-suguha) with a rounded, clean bōshi (temper at the tip).
Characteristics: This Masatsune is a descendant of Sagami-no-Kami Fujiwara Masatsune, a swordsmith from Owari province. The first generation lived in the early Edo period, and their inscriptions closely resemble those of their ancestor. They moved from Fukushima and settled in Nagoya, becoming a group of swordsmiths that continued in Owari until the late Edo period.
Koshirae (Mountings): The scabbard is lacquered in a unique shade of red, and the surface of the tsuba (handguard), fuchikashira (pommel cap), tsuba (guard), and kurigata (knob) have a rough texture added to red copper.
Scabbard (Saya): The scabbard is lacquered in a unique shade of red.
Menuki: A circular shape with a high-relief carving of a dragon in gold.
Kogatana (Small Knife): Inscribed with Sagami-no-Kami Fujiwara Masatsune’s name.
Warekogai: A design of a river flow with a swimming bird on a silver base. Inscribed as Taka Yoshitsugu Nomi(engraved by Taka Yoshitsugu)
From Aoi Art: This is a well-crafted short sword with a thick and sturdy triple-ridge structure. The koshirae features a red lacquered scabbard, and the accompanying small tools are of excellent quality. We highly recommend this piece.
Historical Background: The late Edo period was a time of internal strife between the supporters of the emperor and the Tokugawa shogunate. It marked the transition from Japan’s isolationist policy to the Meiji era.
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token Certificate
Aoi Art Evaluation Certificate: Full-body Pressing by Ayaka Tsuruta
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