On consignment from a long time collector, a katana by a top Yasukuni Shrine gendai sword smith, Yasutoku in beautiful polish, stored in a nice Honoki Shirasaya, with an silver habaki and the original gunto mounts.
The blade was polished in Japan over 10 years ago by Nakamura Yutaka who trained under the Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuho) Ono Kokei. This sword is of excellent quality with a beautiful itame and mokume jihada with lots of ji-nie and some chikei running through, and a temper line of ko-notare based with choji and gunome. The blade has a signature of two character, 靖徳、Yasunori also read as Yasutoku , and dated 昭和十四年九月吉日 Lucky Day of September, 14th Year of Showa, 1939. Accompanied with a Gunto mount. The mounts are all original and complete and in excellent condition. It is very hard to find an all original Gunto mount in this condition.
According to Modern Japanese Swordsmiths, 1868 – 1945, by John Scott Slough, Yasunori is a High to Superior Grade Gendaito smith, and won the 1941 Exhibition Special Honor Noted Seat. The following is a quote of his background from the same book, page 188.
“His real name is Kajiyama Tokutaro, and he was born in Hiroshima prefecture on February 16, 1881. He studied under his father 1st generation Kajiyama Ujihisa (aka Tomohira), and also became a student of Yokoyama Sukeyoshi. In July, 1933, he received an appointment as a master swordsmith for the Nihonto Tanren Kai and was given the Tosho name of Yasunori. He passed away on January 8, 1957.”
It has become increasingly difficult to find a top Yasukuni blade with excellent original gunto mounts, so you should not miss this rare opportunity.
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