A9909(S1863)
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katana signed Sa-no YUKIHIDE kore-wo kitaeru Auspicious day in the 2nd month, Ansei 3

Shin-shin-to End of Edo period (Ansei 3/1856) Tosa
Length of cutting edge 82.9cm Curvature 1.2cm Length of Nakago 26.2cm Width of base 33.0mm Width of Yokote 23.0mm
Thickness of base 8.0mm Bare weight 1170grams

NBTHK(Hozon) certificate
NTHK(Shoshin-Shusaku) certificate

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Blade construction: Extra-long katana of Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune leading to an extended medium tip of "Kissaki". Wide in "Mihaba" holding shallow curvature, "Kasane" is quite thick and "Hiraji" is relatively wide to "Shinogi-ji". The entire blade is full of military warlike spirits and solidly heavy on hands.(click HERE for higher resolution image of the entire blade)
Forging(Hada): Forging is conspicuous large Itame-hada mixing with straight forging ware of Masame that appears mostly along quench side. Steel gives off darkish blue impression to cover with sparkling hard metal granules "Ji-nie" on Hira-ji surface. Darkish thick Nie lines of Chikei activity gushes where shows the mixtures of non-steel elements and uneven status of carbon steel to generate classical grace.
Temper(Hamon): Hamon is fine but a rather on strong side Nie hard metal granules base, starting with a "Gunome" at Hamachi on base then wide and bold boundary line of "Suguha" that appears with slight wave indication. The sparkling quench crystalline densely attaches along quenching boundary line like sparkling swarm of stars and the interior is extremely deep in "Noi" mist like crystalline area. In the interior of temper, brilliant Nie throws up sparks of feet "Ashi" frequently into the cutting edge. Those activities of quench state are extremely vivid and bright.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Boshi forms "Suguha" straight with slight "HAKIKAKE" blush up indication then medium circle turns back.
Tang(Nakago): Nakago is in UBU original, two original peg holes. Sujikai (slanting left) filemarks with horizontal Kesho filemark. Back ridge of Nakago is a bit well-rounded contour with Sujikai filemark. Bottom shape is double bevelled (Kurijiri) in full. The signature is performed in the manner of Tachi style, large and bohemian chiselled inscription of Sa-no YUKIHIDE kore-wo kitaeru 左行秀鍛之 which is located along the ridge and the other side has the date of year, Auspicious day in the 2nd month, Ansei 3 安政三年二月吉日 (1856) which is located upper Shinogi-ji side.

The most superior sword smith Sa-no YUKIHIDE 左行秀, professed as a descendant of Sa-monji 左文字 from Nanbokucho period with the pseudonym of Touko 東虎, was born in Bunka 19 (1813), Chikuzen province (now Fukuoka pref.), family name Toyonaga 豊永, real name Hisabei 久兵衛 as a masterless samurai.
He had an ambition to be a sword maker and in the early years of Tenpo (1830s) he came up to the capital Edo to learn from smith Shimizu HISAYOSHI 清水久義 who belonged to the famed Hosokawa MASAYOSHI 細川正義 school.
In Kouka 3 (1846) when he was 34 years old, he moved to Tosa 土佐 (now Kouchi pref.) upon eager recommendation from smith KATSUHIRO 勝広 who belonged exclusively to the Tosa-han.
After the death of his master KATSUHIRO 勝広 in Ansei 2 (1850), he became an official smith of firearm and sword under exclusive contract to Tosa-han with stipend of 3 fuchi and changed his name to Kyusaemon 久左衛門. In Ansei 7 (1860) he moved up to capital Edo in the Shimoyashiki mansion of Tosa han and served until Keio 3 (1867).
Haitōrei Sword Abolishment Edict of Meiji Restoration got him to give up sword making and stayed in Yokohama, Kanagawa pref. with his son Ikuma 幾馬 late in life, passed away Meiji 20 (1887), was 75 years old.
Two of his katana works with the date of kaei 3 (1850) and 6 (1853) are designated as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan (Juyo Bijutsu-hin).

This katana was made in Ansei 3 (1856) when he was 44 years old in the studio of KATSUHIRO 勝広, Tosa domain. Most of his inscription for his katanas are performed in the reversed side in the manner of Tachi-mei like this example. Large Itame forging shows some indication of straight Masame grain mark in these years. Extra fine sparkling Nie granules accumulates extremely thick and deep along boundary line where frequent thick Nie feet emits choice of brilliance. These features tells that he admired smith Sa-monji 左文字 and was very much influenced by the posthumous work of Go YOSHIHIRO 郷義弘.
Sa-no YUKIHIDE is the most superior smith and is on a par with Minamoto KIYOMARO 源清麿 in Shin-shin-to or equals to Shinkai 真改, Sukehiro 助廣 and Kotetsu 虎徹 in Shinto age.
This is one of the most representative swords of the posthumous works by Sa-no YUKIHIDE 左行秀.
Fresh top quality polish/Condition scale: mint-excellent (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
Single layer gold foiled Habaki collar, preserved in a Shira saya plain wood mounting.
reference data : Kataoka Ginsaku, Sa-no YUKIHIDE to Koyama MUNETSUGU sono Ichirui, Okaze Insatsu, 2000
Hashida Kokin, Sa-no YUKIHIDE no shin kenkyu, Token Bijutsu vol118-123, 1966