Very nice wave mounted hirazaukuri wakizashi. It is very nice to have such an original good condition mounted sword. Mounts are from the 1800's, consisting of a very very nice matching set of Fuchi, Kashira, Kurikata and Saeritsuno done in very nicely carved waves. Gold and silver dots are used for detail as spray for the waves. Menuki are of dragons done in high relief carving under a “kincha” wrap. Tsuba is a very nice Ko-Kinko dragon and wave design that is very heavy. It is probably from the Momoyama period and in very good condition for its age. This tsuba is good enough to be collector grade and actually should be boxed. Scabbard is a well done alternating polished and stone surfaced banded design. In some areas, there are a few small cracks, but nothing very detracting as it is in original condition. Interesting points are that in the kozuka pocket, there is written in old lacquer that this is # 77, showing that this sword was probably part of a very large collection long ago in Japan. Also the horn kojiri is not just plain rounded as usual, but carved with a 3 sided beveled edge showing extra time and care spent for making this mount.
The blade is a very nice hirazukuri shaped wakizashi that has been slightly shortened. It has a very nice and bright suguha hamon made up of a bright nioi guchi leading up to a maru boshi that has some nie action forming a little hakkikake. Jitetsu is very nice. Itame with masame is mixed very well with some large chikei in places. Ji-nie appears with some utsuri. Carving of what is known as a ken done in Soshu style on the omote, with gomabashi hi with a bonji on the ura. Since the sword was shortened slightly, it not only lost its signature, but part of the carving goes into the tang as well. From the shape and style of both the blade and horimono, we can either guess that this sword is from the Nobukuni School , or that of the Echizen Yasutsugu School. Blade is done in the Yamashiro tradition with Soshu influence (blade also has a mitsumune ).
Accompanied with a very nice 2 piece gold foiled habaki with a beautiful scrolling vine design (would cost at least $900 today to make if not more). Someone must have thought a lot of this blade a long time ago to have such nice mounts and such a nice habaki made for this sword. |
