T150239(S2834)
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Katana signed Niō KIYONAGA-saku with) Black Ro-Iro style lacquered gold raised family crest lacquer work scabbard koshirae

Koto end of Muromachi period (Tenbun era/1532-54) Suō
Length of cutting edge69.6cm Curvature2.2cm Width of base30.0mm Thickness of base6.6mm Width of Yokote21.1mm

NBTHK(Hozon)/(Tokubetsu Kicho) certificate

with) Black Ro-Iro style lacquered gold raised family crest lacquer work scabbard koshirae

 

Blade construction: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune, Shinogi-ridge is high. Mihaba on base is wide, less difference in width between base and tip. Deep waist pointed curve and adds upper pointed curve as well. There is a carving of Suken on front and a Bonji on the reversed side.(click HERE for higher resolution image of the entire blade)
Forging(Hada): Forging is Itame-hada mixing in flowing Masame-ware. Taste of fine steel gives off softly moistened impression by sparkling ji-nie glitter. There gives off diffused reflection with a mottled effect so called "Hera-Utsuri of Niō".
Temper(Hamon): Hamon is tightly fine Ko-Nie hard metal granules base, shallow wavy indication. Quench starts with blurred temper by misty Nioi, front looks "Yakiotoshi" underneath habaki. Some "Hotsure", "Niju-ha" and "Gunome" appears here and there. On the reversed side there are some "Tobiyaki" quench splash marks on Hiraji.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Temper of boshi forms straight with "Niju-ha" with "Hakikake" almost no-return ends.
Tang(Nakago): Nakago is in UBU original. One peg hole. Shallow slanting leftward (Katte-sagari) filemarks. Back ridge of Nakago is flat. Single bevelled (Iri-yama) heel shape on bottom. The signature in front side locates upper the Shinogi-ji, a bit on thin side chiselled with classical graced, "Niō KIYONAGA-saku" 二王清長作.
Niō school belonged to Yamato lineage in Suō province, the founder KIYOTSUNA 清綱 has been reported to active during Genkyu era, early 13th century. Now existent examples are such as KIYOTSUNA 清綱 tachi with the date of year Bun-en 2 (1265) in Itsukushima shrine or KIYONAGA 清長 with the date of year Bunwa(1352-55) during Nanbokucho period was reported in the literature of Kousei-Koto-Meikan 校正古刀銘鑑.
The folk tale of the prefix words "Niō" is that the smith KIYOTSUNA rescured "Niō" guardians of the Buddha from a fire incident in the Shrine by cutting off steel chains of door gate using his Tachi sword. Another opinion is that "Niō" 二王 came from place name of studio "Nio-no-sho" 仁保庄.
From the swrod smith directory Nihoto Meikan, there are some KIYONAGAs 清長 that began from end Kamakura (1288-92) onwards down to Muromachi Tenbun (1532-54) in several generations.
The subject katana, wide in Mihaba holding upper pointed curve with an extended middle Kissaki, shows a typical feature during the latter half of Muromachi period. The taste of steel has been described as "YŌKAN" like surface of jellied bean paste and shows notable feature of steel quench scene - speckled reflection "Hera-Utsuri". This katana shows those major scene of Niō school. Hamon shows the strong points of Yamato school such as Niju-ha, Hotsure or Hakikake-ends of Boshi. Nakago holds good taste of patina, still remains a clear mark of file and inscription chisel even 480 years elapsed.
Entire blade is a healty good piece of work. There are some mark of scratches, slight stains and whitish rust over the surface due to old polish status as time went by.
Black Ro-Iro style lacquered gold raised family crest lacquer work scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae fitting consists of : (click HERE for higher resolution images for each metal fitting)
Fuchi : a design of KIRI familly crest, Shakudo ground, Nanako-ji surface, Suemon-style gold Iroe inlay unsigned
Menuki : a design of triple KIRI family crest, Yobori carving
Tsuka/hilt : White rayskin, Black lozenge silk cord warp
Tsuba : a design of KIRI familly crest, Shakudo ground Nanako-ji surface, Suemon-style gold Iroe inlay unsigned
Futatokoro-mono (Kozuka/Kogai) : a design of KIRI family crest on waves, Shakudo ground, Takabori carving, Suemon-style gold Iroe inlay unsigned
Seppa : Copper ground/gold foiled
Habaki : Copper ground double layer gold foiled
Preserved in Shira-saya plain wood mounting
Old polish/Condition scale: very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
reference data :
Monma Junji/Sato Kanichi Nihonto Taikan Otsuka Kogeisha 1969
Honma Kunzan/Ishii Masakuni Ninto Meikan Yuzankaku 1975