A72199
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Yamato Koken with)Black Wrinkles Leather Skin lacquered scabbard Gold Chacra Kaiken Fitting

End Heian to Kamakura period (800 several decades ago) Yamato
Length of cutting edge20.9cm No curve Width of Base18.5mm Thickness of base4.7mm Wholte length of Koshirae34.7cm

NBTHK(Tokubetsu Hozon) certificate

with)Black Wrinkles Leather Skin lacquered scabbard Gold Chacra Kaiken Fitting


Blade construction : Ryo-shinogi-zukuri style Ken dagger, a rather on longer side dagger of dignified style. Deep in Hamachi at starting point of cutting edge, less degree of tapering from base to the sharp point without Yokote ridge, Shinogi-ridge is high and thick in kasane holding massive volume. There are chiselled half way Shinogi-hi grooves on both sides. (click HERE for higher resolution of entire blade)
Forging (Hada) : Forging appearance is moistened Itame-hada mixing with Masame-hada flowing ware which is conspicuously kneaded and covered by sparkling glitter so called Ji-Nie crystallized mist and theadlike Nie lines so called Chikei activity that gushes out from steel.
Temper line (Hamon) : Hamon is a rather on stronger side, uniform sparkling "Nie" hard metal granules based, in which interior is filled with Nioi-mist and is overflowing with abundant Nie quenching activities such as double to frayed temper boundary lines. Thick or short lines of Nie called Sunagashi or Kinsen of bright curved threadlike areas appears all over the temper.
Temper of tip (Boshi) : Temper of tip is symmetrical Yakizume that stops on Shinogi-suji ridge.
Tang (Nakago) : Nakago is UBU unaltered, originally unsigned. Shaved (Sensuki) file marks. The round Kurijiri heel. One Mekugia-ana punch.

Tsurugi (Ken) dagger has been used as Buddhist fittings and implements used in practice religious austerities at a temple. The subject work holds an almost original shape from Kamakura period, 800 years ago. Tsurugi (Ken) daggers were made under devout worship of esoteric Buddhism and offered for high rank Buddhist priests by the sword makers who exclusively belonged to the biggest temples like Todai-ji 東大寺 or Koufuku-ji 興福寺, therefore most of them were made originally unsigned.
The sublime beauty of flawless arts from fine steel, abundant activities from quench process and also exquisite taste of patina deserve great praise with full of classical grace from 800 years history. An awe-inspiring view of this Ken has rarely met such an incomparable beauty from Kamakura period.
Gold plated Habaki collar, preserved in a Shira-Saya plain wood mounting.
Recent good polish/Condition scale: excellent - very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).