S27184(W7594) Wakizashi signed KANEFUSA-saku
with) Inro-style notches all sorts of various lacquered pattern Chisa-katana Koshirae
NBTHK(Hozon) for Wakizashi
NBTHK(Hozon) for Tsuba
NBTHK(tokubetsu Kicho) for Tsuba
NBTHK(Hozon) for Kozuka/Kogai
Koto End of Muromachi period (Eiroku era/circa 1558-) Mino
Length of cutting edge 35.7cm Curvature 0.5cm Width of base 30.3mm Thickness of base 5.0mm
Sugata(configuration) : Hira-zukuri, Iori-mune, wide in mihaba, there is scarce taper and upper Fukura area is swelling out in full with upper pointed curve. There are chiselled half way Bo-hi grooves on both sides. Brave and lively made wakizashi which was in the air of civil wars between rival daimyo in 16 th century (click HERE for higher resolution image)
Kitae(forging pattern) : Kitae is conspicuous Itame wooden grain, mixing with a bit on larger side Mokume burl pattern.
Hamon(tempering pattern) : Hamon is Ko-nie a bit on stronger side Nie based, boundary line of each side is almost closed to identical to the other, starts with shallow Yakidashi with small pointed Gunome, high surge of Hatou-midare with splashed Tobiyaki and rages of tall clove-shape joints together with surge Notare line in general. There is typical indications of slender waist clove-tassel shape of which head is round, so called Kenbo-midare 兼房乱. The interior is filled with misty sparkling Nioi where some bright YOU 葉 appear and short feet of ASHI radiates into the cutting edge. The entire quench scene shows Ko-Nie and Nioi activity.
Boshi (tip): Temper of Boshi is wide and varies in shape Midarekomi with splash Tobiyaki, forms a surge of flame then deeply turns back.
Nakago(tang) : The tang is UBU original. Two Mekugi-ana (retaining hole). Higaki crossing file marks. Kurijiri in full U-shaped heel. The signature is located a bit on Mune side, chiselled as sharp-edged three character KANEFUSA-saku 兼房作.
During the Muromachi era, several generations of sword master named KANEFUSA 兼房 who lived in Seki town, had been the most famous to play one of the most major roles of sword production. Also they rose in fame as it's Hamon so called Kenbo Midare (slender waist, round head tassel-clove shape). From the encyclopedia [ NihontoMeikan], the founder KANEFUSA was active in Eikyo era (1429-) as a son of KANESHIGE 兼重 but the earliest specific date of year is Bunmei 1 (1469) who is judged as a practical 1 st generation. KANEFUSA work with date of year Bunmei 12 (1480) and 14 (1482) is provisional 2 nd generation and KANEFUSA with Iwami-no-kami 石見守 title of Daiei 7 (1527) is supposed to be 3rd gen.
The later generations in Koto period are Eiroku-Genki era (1558-72) as the 4 th. and the 5 th generation would be active during Genki-Tensho era (1558-91).
Those KANEFUSAs of end Muromachi period are very good at quenching of [Kenbo midare] and had a great influences on the other sword makers in Seki town.
Noble sword smith Wakasa-no-kami UJIFUSA 若狭守氏房 was born in the 3rd year of Tenbun (1534) as the 3rd son of the 3rd generation Iwami-no-kami KANEFUSA 石見守兼房 in Gifu. He won the praise from the daimyo Oda Nobunaga to exclusively belong to him.
The subject stirring and powerful Hira-zukuri wakizashi is a sublime work by the 4 th generation KANEFUSA 兼房. There still remains wide Mihaba in full as well as upper area of Fukura is swelling out bravely.
Hamon shows his own peculiarity Kenbo-midare further with a creative pattern of big surge Hatou adds it's artistic value which had been deeply admired by powerful Samurais during the Warning States of period.
For the history of almost 500 years, it's still remains magnificent shape and shows rich activities of Nie and Nioi.

Inro-style nothces all sorts of lacquered pattern Chisa-katana Koshirae consists of :
(click HERE for entire Koshirae, HERE for each fitting, HERE for Futatokotomono[Kozuka/Kogai])
Fuchi/Kashira : Sayagata ancient pattern attributed to a work of Kozen-ji, Shakudo ground, Gold Iroe, unsigned
Menuki : 7-5-3 festival, new year decoration design, Shakudo Yobori, Gold Iroe
Tsuka : White rayskin with large drops, gray Hosoito Jabara-style lozenge wrap
Futatokoro-mono(Kozuka/Kogai) : Reed grass, Heron design, Suaka copper ground, Ishime-ji stone surface, Takabori, Sue-mon style inlay signed Ryuchiken EIZUI 龍池軒栄随 (Hozon certificate)
Tsuba : Double circle openwork design, a work of Owari, Iron ground, Round-Mimi edge (Hozon certificate/Tokubetsu Kicho certificate)
Double layer copper Habaki, preserved in Shirasaya plain wood mounting
Old polish/Condition scale: very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)
There are some darkish marks due to old polish status that wares will be entirely removed by the skilled polish.
reference data :
Suzuki Takuo/Sugiura Yoshiyuki, Muromachi-ki Mino-Toko-no-kenkyu, Ribun shuppan , 2006
Wakayama Takeshi, Touso Kinko Jiten, Yuzankaku, 1984
 
Wakizashi signed KANEFUSA saku with) Inro-style nothces all sorts of various lacquered pattern Chisa-katana Koshirae
Wakizashi signed KANEFUSA saku with) Inro-style nothces all sorts of various lacquered pattern Chisa-katana Koshirae
 Back Home