| A very rare, gorgeous, signed and dated Gassaku katana by the famous Kasama Shigetsugu and Tsukamoto Okimasa with koshirae, both blade and koshirae are accompanied with a NBTHK Hozon..
Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu was born, Kasama Yoshikazu on April 1, 1886 in Shizuoka. He studied sword making under his uncle, Miyaguchi Ikkansai Shigeyoshi until 1903 when he went to Tokyo and studied under Morioka Masayoshi. Shigetsugu was the master swordsmith at the Nihonto Tenran Denshusho. He is often associated with the infamous Black Dragon Society as he was hand picked by the head of the society Toyama Mitsuru to make blades on his estate that were usually given to important people in the government, military or industry. Toyama Mitsuru was a most powerful individual, so he could have had any swordsmith to do work for him, but he chose one of the best, Shigetsugu to work for him personally.
Tsukamoto Okimasa was one of the most talented smiths from the Showa period. He studied under the Kasama Shigetsugu, and married his daughter. Okimasa was slotted to become one of the 1st Living National Treasures after the war, but became very ill and died at an early age at around 45 years of age.
The hamon is nie-deki choji midare with kinsuji and sungashi running through.. The jigane is a well grained itame hada with ji nie. The blade is in a very good full polish. There is a hairline ware in the mune, but otherwise in very good condition. The hamon is choji with ashi and the hada is tame with nie-deki. this blade is very solid and in beautiful polish. The blade is housed in a nice shirasaya. And accompained with a silver foil habaki, and a NBTHK Hozon. The koshirae is in excellent condition accompanied with a NBTHK Hozon.
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