Tame Kato Fukuya-ke Shugo
Auspicious day in the 5th month, 52 th year of Showa
with) Double layer paulownia wood boxes in his own writing (Hakogaki)
Square paperboard in his own writing
saying [devote whole life single-mindedly in this line of Sword maker]
Length of cutting edge18.3cm No Curvature Width of base23.8mm Thickness of base5.7mm
Kitae(forging pattern) : Kitae-hada is super fine ko-itame hada which is delicately forged and covered with sparkling Nie hard metal granules over the surface. It's steel shows the mixtures of bluish Nie-granules that generates Chikei non-steel element that grows from the abyss of steel.
Hamon(tempering pattern) : Hamon is sparkling but moderate Nie softly filled in, upper the blade wider the pattern with shallow wave indication. There works with NIOI white mist lays over the interior of temper.
Boshi (tip): The temper of the tip in front comes into small circle with hakikake blushing indication and URA side is medium circle turns back.
Nakago(tang) : UBU original , V-shape(Iriyama) heel shape and Osujikai/Kesho (slanting left with horizontal) filemarks. The signature in front starts with pseudonym of "Taa" Ύ’ then "Gassan Minamoto Sadakazu-saku" RΉεκμ and "a seal of artisan" Τ. On the back ridge Mune-side@is chiselled with the date of year "Auspicious day, 5 th month, the 52 th year of Showa" (1977) Ίaά\ρNάgϊ and the reversed side is chiselled to order of "Lucky charm for Kato Fukuya families" Α‘\Ζημ.
Gassan Sadakazu's ancestors had been active near around Mt. Gassan(Yamagata Prefecture altitude 1984 meters) in Dewa province to meet with the demand from Samurai soldiers or monks practicing asceticism in Gassan sacred mountain in Muromachi period. The origin of Gassan Sadakzu of modern ages starts from Gassan Sadayoshi Rεg in the end of Edo era. He left home Dewa province to Edo (now in Tokyo) during Bunsei era (1818-1829) and learned from Suishinshi Masahide Sq³G who is also from the same Dewa province. Besides of Ayasugi style forging secret art handed down technique, he grasped the meaning of Soshu, Bizen, Yamato and Mino school.
The subject sword smith (second gen. Sadakazu) was born as the third son of Gassan Sadakatsu Rε (the eldest son of founder Gassan Sadakazu) in 1907. On the occasion of 58th move ceremony of Grand Shrines of Ise (1927), Sadakatsu/Sadaichi both parent and son collaborated in making 58 swords and 43 hoko (daggers) to offer. On after the establishment of the Japanese art swords preservation society in 1948, the technique of traditional Japanese sword making has been preserved where he played a major role of Japanese art swords enlightened and recognized as Beauty of Japanese art. Again he made and offered 4 tachis to the occasion of 59 th move ceremony of Grand Shrines of Ise (1949). In 1966, he officially succeeded smith name Sadakazu (2nd gen.) Nominated and specified for the living national treasure in 1971.This tanto is a work of maturity when he was 71 years old. He recovered from the severe wound of the defeat holding the dignity of his whole life single-mindedly only in the line of work Japanese traditional Sword Maker. Passed away April 1, 1995, was 87 years old. Gassan tradition has been succeeded to his son Sadatoshi Rε.
Gold foiled single layer habaki collar, Shira-saya plain wood mouting Square paperboard in his own writing saying "Tanto Hitosuji" bκΨ and an original Double layer paulownia wood boxes in his own writing (Hakogaki)
