(DAI) signed Hizen koku-ju Tō'toumi-no-kami Fujiwara KANEHIRO TAKAGI-uji Fujiwara Tadae haku ken
(SHO) signed Tō'toumi-no-kami Fujiwara KANEHIRO TAKAGI-uji Fujiwara Tadae haku ken
with) Kuro-ro-iro lacquered Daisho set of Koshirae mount
NBTHK(Tokubetsu Kicho)
NBTHK(Hozon Tōsougu)
(DAI) : Length of cutting edge 70.8cm Curvature 2.5cm Width of base 31.0mm Width of Yokote 22.5mm Thickness of base 7.5mm (Oshigata sketch for DAI)
(SHO) : Length of cutting edge 55.0cm Curvature 2.0cm Width of base 30.0mm Width of Yokote 21.0mm Thickness of base 7.0mm (Oshigata sketch for SHO)
Forging(Hada): Forging pattern is streaming Masame-hada which is activated with sparkling martensite crystals of Ji-Nie against well refined bluish Jigane to generate long gleaming lines of Chikei over the Hiraji surface.
Temper(Hamon): Hamon is martensite crystals of frosty Nie based with misty-Nioi where boundary area has a vague view through the haze of Nie. There works with intensive long lines of Sunagashi and thick lines of Kinsen like a river stream.
Tang(Nakago): Both Nakago are UBU in original. In accordance with the rules of the Hizen-to lineage for the katana, the signature of maker is chiselled in the reversed side of Haki-ura and owner's name is chiselled in front of Haki-omote. Whereas the wakizashi, the maker's name is chiselled in front and owner's name is in reversed side.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Boshi is small circle with an indication of intensive Hakikake.
KANEHIRO 兼廣 with a title of To'toumi-no-kami 遠江守 lived in Saga-castle town under Nabeshima clan 鍋島藩, real name HASHIMOTO Heibei 橋本平兵衛 who was a great-grandson of HIROSADA 広貞 (a youger brother of 1st generation TADAYOSHI 忠吉 in different mother) in a legitimate family line of Hizen sword makers.
He was born in Kan'ei 20 (1643) and learned from his father of KANEHIRO 兼廣 but in a different title of Yamato-daijo 大和大掾.
He initially named himself KENEWAKA 兼若 and worked together on duty with his father. He rendered distinguished services to the Nabeshima clan and enjoyed an official title of To'toumi-no-kami 遠江守 in Genroku 11 (1698) when he was late 55 years old. He worked for a powerful regional clan Nabeshima Yahei Saemon TAKANARI 鍋島弥平左衛門嵩就(#1). According to Nihonto Meikan directory, it makes records of the date of year from Genroku 12 (1699) onward Shotoku 5 (1715), Kyouho 3 (1718), Kyouho 5 (1720) through Kyouho 8 (1723) in long life 80 years or more.
The person placing order Takagi-uji Fujiwara TADAE 高木氏藤原忠栄 (#2) was a machi-doshiyori, an important local official under the Tokugawa Shogunate and he accumulated his wealth exclusively by trading with the Netherlands by way of early European ships authorized by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Here is an awesome DAISHO set of katana and wakizashi with perfect set of mounts who owed by Joshi (superior Samurai warriors) Takagi-uji Fujiwara TADAE 高木氏藤原忠栄 officially called machi-doshiyori in Saga castle town. The shape is wide with a somewhat deep curvature, there is standing firmly on the base in awe-inspiring beauty of Tachi-style. The blade is massively heavy on hands and rich volume in Hiraniku that almost maintains an original volume when they were made 300 years ago.
It is convincing that these are KANEHIRO's transcendent masterpieces of custom-made in his lifework made to order, bearing Soushu-tradition in mind, especially looking up to a work of Go-Yoshihiro to prove his extraordinary skill.
Original Kuro-ro-iro lacquered Daisho set of Koshirae mount (Hozon Tosougu) consist of :
(click HERE for entire Koshirae, HERE for DAISHO Tsuka and HERE for Menuki, Tsuba, Kozuka)
- Daisho Fuchi/Kashira : Leo Shishi design, Shakudo Nanako-ji surface, Takabori carving, Gold Iroe, unsigned
- Menuki (DAI) : Leo Shishi design / Menukji (SHO) : Peony Botan design - Shakudo Yobori carving Gold Iroe
- Kozuka : Peony Botan design, ShakudoNanako-ji surface, Takabori, Gold/silver Iroe, Ura-Hokin gold back cover, unsigned
- DAISHO set of Tsuba : Shakudo, polish surface, unsigned
#Extra attachment : Boxwood replacements Tsuba, DAISHO bags made of precious imported textile and a storage box made of paulownia wood.
Such a splendid set of DASHO with an original Koshirae mounts is quite rare to find and it's owner's name adds a historical value of this excellent set of DAISHO owned by high class Samurai warrior.
Gold foiled Habaki collars Preserved in Shira-Saya plain wood mountings.
Excellent polish/Condition scale: mint (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)
(#1) Nabeshima Yahei Saemon TAKANARI 鍋島弥平左衛門嵩就
Koujiro Ku'uji 雲仙市
(#2) Takagi-uji Fujiwara TADAE 高木氏藤原忠栄
Takagi-family graveyard・（Nagasaki-city historic site）
Takagi Saku'uemon
reference data :
Honma Kunzan/Ishii Masakuni, Nihonto Meikan, Yuzankaku 1975
