with) Brown Stone surface lacquered scabbard Wakizashi koshirae
NBTHK(Tokubetsu Hozon Tosougu)
Length of cutting edge 38.5cm Curcature 0.8cm Width of base 29.0mm Thickness of base 6.0mm
Kitae(forging pattern) : Kitae is conspicuous Itame (wooden grain), mixing with mokume burl pattern. The entire steel shows darkish but moist impression where generates whitish and misty "Utsuri" reflection agaist darkish Hiraji surface.
Hamon(tempering pattern) : Hamon is "Ko-nie" a bit strong side Nie based, each zigzag group of medium gunomes and a tall sharp-head joints together with wavy "Notare" line in general. There are some indications of slender waist clove shape of which head is round, so called [Kenbo-midare] 兼房乱. The quench splashes frrequently into Hiraji surface and also Shinogi-ji that is called "Hitatsura" to form various shaped quench spots. The interior is filled with misty sparkling Nioi where bright Nie of thick ashi feet radiates into the cutting edge and brushing thick lines of Nie so called "Sunagashi" crosses over the feet. The entire quench scene shows wide variety of No-Nie, Nioi and forging pattern.
Boshi (tip): Boshi form wavy "Jizo's profile" medium circle turns back.
Nakago(tang) : The tang is UBU original. Two Mekugi-ana (retaining hole). "Takanoha" V-shape file marks. "Ha-agari kurijiri" uneven U-shaped heel. The signature is located on the Shinogi-ji side, thin chiselled, six character that starts with the palce of born Nōshu ju-nin 濃州住人 and smith name KANEFUSA 兼房.
During the Muromachi period, several generations of sword masters named KANEFUSA lived in Seki town, had played one of the most major roles of sword production. Also they won fame as it's Hamon so called "Kenbo Midare" (slender waist, round head clove shape). From the encyclopedia [Nihonto Meikan], the founder KANEFUSA was active in Eikyo era (1429-) as a son of KANESHIGE 兼重 but the earliest specific date of year is Bunmei 1 (1469) who is judged as a practical 1st generation. KANEFUSA with date of year Bunmei 12 (1480) and 14 (1482) is provisional 2nd generation and KANEFUSA with Iwami-no-kami 石見守 title of Daiei 7 (1527) is supposed to be 3rd generation.
The later generations in Koto period are Eiroku-Genki era (1558-72) as the 4th.and the 5th generation of KANEFUSA would be active during Genki-Tensho era (1558-91). Those KANEFUSAs of end Muromachi period are very good at quenching of [kenbo midare] and had a great influences on the other sword makers in Seki town.
Noble sword smith Wakasa-no-kami UJIFUSA 若狭守氏房 was born in the 3rd year of Tenbun (1534) as a 3rd son of the 3rd gen. Iwami-no-kami KANEFUSA 石見守兼房 in Gifu. He won the praise from the daimyo Oda Nobunaga to exclusively belong to him.
The subject stirring and powerful Shobu-zukuri wakizashi is a sublime work by the 3rd generation KANEFUSA 兼房, possibly would be made at Gifu. There still remains rich volume and massive in upper area of Fukura which is swelling out in full. The independent quench of "HITATSURA" has natural beauty of unsofisticated pattern that shows a close resemblance to the works of HIROMITSU 広光 or AKIHIRO 秋広 during Nanbokucho period but shows his own peculiarity [Kenbo-midare]. The "HITATSURA" hamon had been deeply admired by powerful clans during the Warning States of period.
For the age exceeding 500 years or more, it's remains magnificent shape and shows rich activities of Nie and Nioi.
There are some scratch marks due to old polish status that wares will be entirely removed by the skilled polish.
Brown Stone surface lacquered scabbard Wakizashi koshirae (Tokuebtsu Hozon Tousougu) consists of :
(click HERE for entire Koshirae / HERE for each metal fitting)
- All metal fittings of Fuchi, Kashira, Kuchi-kanagu, Kurikata, Kaeri-tsuno, Kawara and Kojiri : Oborogin (silver) Ishime-ji stone surface, Sukidashi-Koberi(polish surface) Fuchi signed : Kamata NORITOSHI (seal) 鎌田乗寿（花押）
- Tsuba : Cloud design, Mokko shape, Iron ground Ishime-ji surface signed Age of 63 Ōmori HIDETOMO (seal) 行年六十三才 大森秀知（花押）
- Futatokoro-mono (Kozuka/Kogai) : Oborogin (silver) Ishime-ji stone surface, Tomoe family emblem on the scale, Takabori Suemon-style inlay, Gold Iroe. signed : Kamata NORITOSHI (seal) 鎌田乗寿（花押）
- Menuki : Tomoe family emblem on scale. Shakudo (copper alloy) ground, Yobori, Gold Iroe inlay
- Tsuka (hilt) : Gold lacquered polish surface layskin, original conditioned dark green Tsumami-maki style lozenge wrap
Old polish/Condition scale: excellent-very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)
reference data :
Suzuki Takuo/Sugiura Yoshiyuki, Muromachi-ki Mino-Toko-no-kenkyu, Ribun shuppan , 2006
Iwata Ato, Owari Toko-fu, the Nagoya Board of Education, 1984
Iwata Takeshi, Touso Kinko Jiten, Yuzankaku, 1984
