T31085(S5216)
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Katana signed Yokoyama Kaga-no-suke Fujiwara SUKENAGA Chrysanthemum Crest-Ichimonji sign / Bizen Osafune-ju The second month,Fourteenth year of Tenpo with) Black Roiro-nuri lacquered scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae

Shin-shin-to (End of Edo period 14 th year of Tepo/1843) Bizen
Length of cutting edge68.6cm Curvature2.2cm Width of base29.7mm Thickness of base6.8mm Width of Yokote18.2mm

NBTHK(Tokubetsu Hozon) certificate

with) Black Roiro-nuri lacquered scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae

Sugata(configuration) : Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune. Mihaba is in average and there is a rather on deeper side waist curve (koshizori) and the rest is nearly straight leading to a middle tip. (click HERE for higher resolution)
Kitae(forging pattern) : Kitae-hada is fine and precisely kneaded Ko-mokume and the swelling Masame hada pattern is perceived along shinogi-ji surface.
Hamon(tempering pattern) : Hamon starts with shallow straight Yakidashi then decorated tassels Ju-ka Choji-midare or chrysanthemum flowers so called Kikka-Choji clove outline.
Boshi (tip): The temper of the tip is medium circle turn back deeply.
Nakago(tang) : Unaltered in UBU. One original peg retaining hole. Filemark is slanting left (Katte-sagari). The signature in front is nine long, thick chiselled character that reads Yokoyama Kaga-no-suke Fujiwara SUKENAGA 横山加賀介藤原祐永 and the other side starts with Chrysanthemum crest plus Ichimonji-sign 菊紋一, the place of work Bizen Osafune-ju 備前長船住 and date of year The second month, Fourteenth year of Tenpo (1843) 天保十四年二月日. From the specimen of inscription, signature was performed by his colleague SUKEKANE 祐包 in the same school.

Here is a typical Bizen-tradition Katana by an accomplished sword artisan Yokoyama Kakunosuke SUKENAGA 横山覚之助祐永 in 1843 Kaei 14th.
During the later period of Edo (Shin-shin to age), the legitimate sword smith in Ichimonji school SUKENAGA 祐永 was actice as one of the most skilled pure Bizen school makers and named himself as the 56th generation descendant of Tomonari 友成五十六代孫.
His real name is Yokoyama Kakunosuke 横山覚之助, a second son of Yokoyama Sukehira 横山祐平, exclusively worked for Bizen clan to be granted with the Kaga-no-suke title 加賀介 in the 4 th year of Tenpo (1833) further was honored with Chrysanthemum crest 菊紋 from imperial family.

The subject sword was created in an archaic Tachi-style when he was matured 45 years old, which has a highly dignified curve near the base to show close resembles to a work of Bizen-den to prove that he himself was strongly influenced to a ancient work of Fukuoka Ichimonji School from 13th century.

The highlight of this katana is an exceptional collaboration work - SUKENAGA 祐永 works of Katana and SUKEKANE 祐包(KUKENAGA's older sister's husband) performes signature in Nakago by two of the most skilled three master sword smiths (SUKEHIRA 祐平, SUKENAGA　祐永, SUKEKANE 祐包) among Bizen school in the latter hald of Edo period.

He belonged to pure Bizen-den technique and devotes himself to restore the ancient Ichimonji works from Kamakura period. He is very good at the hamon of "Jyuka-Choji midare" which looks like the row on row of clove flower buds like this example and successfully revived the traditional Fukuoka Iachimonji in Shin-shin-to period.
His extant works with the date of year ranged from Tenmei 6 to Kaei 3 (1786-1850), passed in the 2nd day, 6th month, 4th year of Kaei (1851), was 57 years old.

with) Black Roiro-nuri lacquered scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae (click HERE for entire Koshirae and HERE for each fitting)
  • Fuchi/kashira : AOI Karakusa arabesque design, Shakudo ground, Takabori carving, Gold,silver,copper Iroe inlay, signed Edo-ju NARA-saku
  • Menuki : AOI Karakusa arabesque design, Shakudo ground, Katabori carving, Gold Iroe
  • Kougai : AOI Karakusa arabesque design, Iron ground, Brass inlay, unsigned
  • Tsuba : UME plum flower design, Iron ground, Tatemaru oval shape, Ji-sukashi open work, Nikubori carving, unsigned
  • Tuka : White rayskin, gray indigo-blue Nando-iro silikcord wrap
Gold foiled single layer Habaki collar preserved in Shira-Saya plain wood mounting
Recentgood polish/Condition scale: mint - excellent (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)