Katana, Shirasaya, Koshirae

[ Signature ] omote : "肥前國住人源忠吉"　ura : -

[ Size ] Blade length 79.93cm (2 shaku 4 sun 4 bu 0 rin), sori 2.13m (7 bu 0 rin), moto-haba 3.36cm, moto-kasane 0.70cm, saki-haba 2.32 cm, saki-kasane 0.44 cm, mekugi-ana(holes) 4, blade weight 987g , shirasaya length 103cm, koshirae length 105cm

[ Province ] Hizen

[ Feature ]
Form : Shinogi-zukuri. Iori-mune. Mihaba is relatively wide. Kasane is ordinal. Moderate sori attached. Chû-kissaki extended form.
Nakago : Around 1 sun (3.03cm) advanced the machi. Saki of nakago is in cut tsumamu form. Yasurimes are kiris. Four holes.
Jigane : Jingane-hada extremely grained. Rich and fine jinie attached. Fine chikei appeared.
Hamon : In suguha tone, deep nioi appeared. Shallow notare tone and ko-midare-bas mixed. Ashis and yôs appeared. Nie attached well. Kin-sujis and sunagashis appeared. Nioi-kuchi is so clear.
Boushi : It turns in komaru. Saki is haki-kake.

[ Highlight ]

First generation Tadayoshi was called HASHIMOTO Shinzaemon. He was an officially hired swordsmith of Hizen Nabeshima clan. In Keichô 1, he was ordered to enter Umetada Myôjyu school to learn swords creation. Then he returned in Keicho 3. With support of the clan, they could succeed their school till later time of Edo period. In Gen-na 10, he was appointed as Musashi Dai-jyô. He changed his name from Tadayoshi to Tadahiro accordingly. He changed his family name of honor from Minamoto to Fujiwara as well.
His diseased date was 15th August Kanei 9.

This sword is one of few which has Minamoto signature by first generation Tadayoshi. Dignified form. Excellent grained ji-gane, ko-itame-hada becoming like rice bran. Variety of changes or works in sugu-ha hamon. Bright and clear hamon well harmonized. Lacquer colored tsuka, without same-kawa, its specific kaeritsuno, attached Satsuma koshirae is seemed to be created during Edo period.

In this Satsuma koshirae, storing such dynamic Minamoto Tadayoshi sword, it was possible to imagine the samurai who had this sword had great presence and surely tough guy. Iron Tsuba with saya-tome holes, it has scenery of tiger hole of rocky tract. It looks mischievous once looked but it is threatiing the samurai try to find the chance against any strong opponent.

It is getting diffcult to find old koshirae attached swords. Please keep it in mind, old koshirae can tell us actual and several situation of past owners so that it is necessary to preserve them as treasure.

[ Conditions ] Sword fill with full of heath. There a few small rusts and pale part but it comes to refresh not by full polishment but right one nugui-naoshi .Koshirae has its years. So there are small cracks of saya-nuri laquor, scratches and detachments. Tsuka-maki has been renewed recently. Its condition is excellent.

[ Attachments ] Habaki (suaka-ji, silver foiled, single), shirasaya, bag of shirasaya, koshirae, bag of koshirae and NBTHK Tokubetsu hozon paper( issued on 5th February Heisei 27(2015))

Tsuba, design of tiger "虎図鐔"( Iron, suki-sage, taka-bori "鉄地鋤下高彫"),
fuchi-gashira, design of dragons, "龍図縁頭(shaku-dô kata-kiri-hori "赤銅片切彫"),
menuki, design of lions, "獅子図目貫" (shaku-dô katachi-bori gold kin-iore "赤銅容彫金色絵")

[ Item number ] A021118 [ Price ] JPY 3,000,000 (shipping and insurance fee are not included)