UK
Sword Register No. 87
Type: Shinto katana
Nagasa: 66.1 cm
Moto-haba: 2.8 cm
Saki-haba: 1.8 cm
Sugata:
Shinogi-zukuri, very shallow tori-zori, iori-mune, small chu-kissaki.
Jihada:
Ko-mokume-hada, some itame. Strong masame in the shinogi-ji, some ji-nie.
Hamon:
Nioi-deki, ko-gunome based on suguha, many ko-ashi, some yo. Wide boshi
with small notare, ending in ko-maru, with kaeri.
Nakago:
Suriage, with 3 mekugi-ana (2 overlapping) and approximately 6cm of
machi-okuri, indistinct but possibly takanoha yasurime on the omote and sujikai
on the ura. The suriage nakago-jiri finished in ha-agari kuri-jiri. Inscribed at
the bottom of the omote, IZUMI (no) KAMI…….
The sugata of this sword is quite distinctive and
might be referred to as Kanbun-shinto sugata. That is to say the zori is very
shallow and there is noticeable tapering towards the kissaki, which is rather
small itself. The Kanbun-shinto character is further emphasised by the sword
having a suguha based hamon, which is considered the most efficient in terms of
cutting ability. This sugata was popular, especially amongst the Edo swordsmiths
and was a reflection of the new kendo style of dojo fighting with a shinai,
which became popular at the time.
The jihada is mostly a compact mokume-hada, but a
little looser in places where it looks like itame. The strong masame in the
shinogi-ji is another characteristic of Edo swords from this period. Of special
note is the slight midare in the boshi, which looks somewhat like the so-called
Mishina-boshi.
The hamon, although suguha based, has several
irregularities and many small gunome-ashi in nioi are found, together with
occasional yo. However, the many
ko-ashi form ko-gunome within the basic suguha.
The nakago has been greatly altered. Essentially
there are three mekugi-ana, but the lower one overlaps another. The higher one
has been similarly altered and has a metal filling in it. As so much alteration
has occurred, it is difficult to know whether or not the visible yasurime, are
original. The remaining mei is lightly carved in quite small characters and it
is unfortunate that the suriage cuts through the inscription.
Although other swordsmiths such as Kanesada had the
same title, it seems reasonable to consider that this sword might be the work of
Izumi (no) Kami Kaneshige. Kaneshige’s authenticated work has many of the
characteristics of Kanbun-shinto shown in this sword, even down to the
Mishina-boshi. The characteristics of his workmanship are also seen in blades by
Nagasone Kotetsu and Yamato (no) Kami Yasusada, representative smiths of Edo
Kanbun-shinto.
The first generation Kaneshige’s real name was
Tsuji Sukeuemon and he hailed from Echizen province, where he was a maker of
arrow-heads in his early years. His son (or student) had the title of Kazusa
(no) Suke Kaneshige and he succeeded to the head of the school. (both
generations are considered to be part of the Hojoi Masahiro school by some
sources, but Nagayama puts them in a separate group on their own).
As with many of the Edo swordsmiths of this time,
many of their blades were tested. There are blades by Kaneshige with the
kinzogan tameshi-mei of Yamano Kanjuro Hisahide and Yamano Kaemon Nagahisa. This
is a reflection of the martial atmosphere in Edo at a time when many were still
alive, who had experienced actual battlefield conditions.
Izumo (no) Kami Kaneshige is rated as Josaku by
Fujishiro.
Koshirae:
The sword has an attractive ribbed, red lacquered say which has black lacquered
kojiri, kurikata and koi-guchi. The copper habaki is fashioned in an Aoi design.
The iron, sukashi tsuba is maru-gata (round) depicting either horse
accoutrements or possibly the attributes of Daruma. The iron base is embellished
with gold nunome and is signed on the seppa-dai “Bushu Ju Masafusa (Bushu
school, 18th/19th century).
Tsuba:
7.3 cm wide x 7.6 cm high
The tsuka has black ito over white
same and the menuki are of shakudo with gilt and silver floral decoration. The
fuchi-kashira are in plain shakudo, the fuchi with gold and shakudo
mushroom-like trees in low relief. The kashira is a setting silver orb with gilt
clouds similarly applied to the fuchi – both are mumei, all 19th
century.
NB: It is said that in the Bakumatsu
period (end of the Edo period) red saya such as this, were favoured by samurai
of the powerful Satsuma clan in southern Kyushu.
No modern Japanese papers of
authentication, for either the blade or koshirae, accompany this sword. It is
recommended that the blade be entered into Japanese shinsa for positive
identification.
Clive Sinclaire
Bexley, Kent
May 2007
