Japanese Swords

There are believed to be several generations of Sukemitsu and the Meikan lists seven smiths with the same name. Judging by the date and signature on this Tanto, it can be attributed to the first generation Rokurozaemonnojo Sukemitsu, who was the father of Ukyonosuke Katsumitsu and Munemitsu. This masterpiece Tanto features a very fine grain with Itame and Mokume patterns, sprinkles of Jinie, and a faint boutsuri are his Kansho Bizen mark. The Hamon is a wide Gunome mixing Choji. The Horimono carving on the front relates to the Ichinomiya Daimyojin and the sanscrit character on the reverse alludes to the Marishiten buddhist dieties. ( His sons Munemitsu and Katsumitsu are famous Swordsmiths) This Masterpiece Tanto is preserved in beautiful condition and is a heirloom. It also comes with a Masterpiece Aikuchi Koshirae which is supreme.

Signed Bishu Osafune Sukemitsu
Dated Feb 1449 (6th year of Bunan)
NBTHK 68th Juyo Token Certificate

Details
Length 27.3 cm
Curvature 0 cm
Base Width 2.46 cm
Solid Gold two piece Habaki
With 3 mons carving

 

Sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro Sensei

68th Juyo Token
Bishu Ju Osafune Sukemitsu, dated 1449
6 character and Bunan dated, Rokurouzaemonnojo length 8Sun9Bu first Generation
Sukemitsu, and Norimitsu are representatives of next generation of Oei period swordsmiths.
The style is following the Oei Bizen style,
open waist style of hamon including Gunome, including Choji and Sugu-Utsuri appear, typical style and also wonderful carving too, this is a masterpiece by the first generation Sukemitsu.

Kuro rōiro-nuri agehachō-mon makie saya aikuchi-tantō-koshirae

(黑蝋色塗揚羽蝶文蒔絵鞘合口短刀拵)

Aikuchi-style tantō-koshirae featuring glossy black lacquer saya with makie décor of swallowtail butterflies.

Late Edo period.
Overall length of koshirae ~ 43.0 cm
Length of hilt ~ 11.2 cm; length of saya ~ 31.8 cm
Blade length ~ 26.6 cm; only a hint of sori.
Length of tang ~ 8.5 cm
Motohaba ~ 2.4 cm; kasane ~ 0.4 cm

Obverse of kozuka of shakudō with nanako ground and gold takabori-iroe décor. Back plate gilded.

Menuki of pure gold and interpreted in katachibori.

Saya in glossy black lacquer featuring raised gold and silver powder makie décor of swallowtail butterflies.

Horn elements gilded with gold powder
Hilt unwrapped and covered with same lacquered with silver powder.
Twofold gold-foiled habaki with base.

[Picture of obverse and reverse of koshirae.]

[Details of swallowtail butterflies makie décor, kozuka, and menuki. For original size, see cover.]

It appears that this mounting was handed down by a warrior related to the Ikeda (池田) family. We have here an aikuchi-tantō-koshirae featuring ensuite kozuka and menuki fittings displaying swallowtail butterfly crests and a saya with a gorgeous makie décor of the same motif. The koshirae appears to have once mounted a renowned Kotō blade, possibly a Kamakura period Yamashiro work. The kozuka is of jet-black shakudō with beautiful nanako surface and is decorated with brilliantly shining gold swallowtail butterfly crests carved in takabori relief and set into the plate. Such a contrasting combination of a black ground and gold décor was typical for Daimyō fittings. The highly tasteful purplish-grey color of the same-covered hilt lacquered in silver powder and being unwrapped, just featuring solid gold menuki of swallowtail butterfly crests appears to follow the same contrasting decorative approach. The makie décor on that is found on both sides of the saya is slightly raised, and the swallowtail butterfly crests, for which gold powder with slightly different hues and silver powder was used, are oriented in different ways. The result is flamboyant, yet highly dignified, and the mounting has a very bewitching charm. The gold- foiled habaki with base is contemporary to the koshirae, which adds to the value of this object.

 

Magoroku Kanemoto (孫六兼元) worked in Akasaka in Mino Province around the beginning of the sixteenth century. He flourished during the Eishô (永正) era (1504-1521) and the Daiei (大永) era (1521-1528). He was the son of the first generation Kanemoto (兼元). He was also a contemporary and sworn brother of the second generation Izumi no Kami Kanesada (和泉守兼定) who was also known as Nosada. They say that being a sworn brother is a stronger tie than being a brother by blood. Together these two smiths are recognized as being two of the premiere Mino smiths during this era of sword making.
 

Era : Muromachi Jidai (Era)
Hacho : ( Edge length ) 27.5 cm , slight curvature.
Moto-haba : (Width at Ha-machi ) 2.8cm
Kasane : (Thickness) 0.6cm
Meguki Ana : ( hole in Tang) 1
Nakago : Ubu ( Unaltered, original)
Mei : KANETO - He Lived in Seki, MINO 1504-1521 ( Muromachi Jidai )
Hamon: Ko Nie Deki Midare
Jitetsu : Ko itame hada and komokume hada, jinie, shirake utsuri.
Habaki is Silver over copper

Overall condition of Tanto is perfect.
Overall condition of Koshirae is perfect.

KOSHIRAE : (Ornate mountings )
Finally crushed Abalone shells incorporated into the lacquer of this Tanto scabbard give it a green , shimmering finish, the period fittings are off the same design and certified.

Explanation : This Tanto comes from a turbulent part of Japanese Samurai History, Mino Sword smiths were renowned for their Sword making. Mino no Kuni was a province that is today called southern Gifu Prefecture . There were many famous Sword smiths working in Mino amongst them Sekino Magoroku Kanemoto, and Nosada who were well revered. Tanto by KANETO are very rare and this is the first time I have had the opportunity to find one and make it available for collectors, it comes from a Japanese collector. The Hamon is balanced on both sides and it is polished in Sashikomi polish ( The classical style ) exhibiting a beautiful uniform hamon on both sides of the blade. The Hamon of the Kissaki ( Boshi ) is beautiful on both sides and adds an expression to the Tanto. I highly recommend this Tanto and Koshirae as an important part of Japanese Samurai History.

Certification : NBTHK Hozon certificates for Tanto and also Koshirae ( double certificates ) verifying the authenticity.

Yamashiro Eisho era about 1510年前　Edge length： 23.6㎝　Curvature:Minimal

Thickness:5.3mm
Engraving: Front[Suken inkoku] Back[Sen shu raku]
Back of the edge called Mune [Bohi]

Shirasaya:Sayagaki by Dr.Kanzan Sato

Gold foil single Habaki

Koshirae : Black Aikuchi Koshirae with Black Same Tsuka

Fittings : Mumei Mukade Menuki ( Centipede ) and Mumei Mukade Kozuka from late Muromachi Period. Koshirae is in exceptional condition.

Registered in 1951 in Tokyo

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

Nagayoshi was a sword smith who was good at engraving works like Suken, Bonji, Japanese-characters etc. His home was Yamashiro province. It was said that there were some Nagayoshi generations from Ouei-era to Eisho-era. This Tanto is attributed to the fifth generation Nagayoshi. He forged a lot of pieces in Yamato province, Mikawa province and Ise province. You may know that the famous Sword Smith Muramasa in Ise province was trained under 5th generation Nagayoshi. This Tanto shape is really elegant and balanced well with 「千秋楽」Senshuraku engraving. And I have never seen the engraving ( groove ) on the back of edge ( Mune ). I am not sure why Nagayoshi did it on the Mune, but it might be the blood flowing channel, this is extremely rare. HEIANJO NAGAYOSHI 5th Generation Tanto are extremely rare. This Tanto has been preserved in perfect condition as is the Koshirae.

I can feel the threatening atmosphere in this engraving. It was a Tanto which had a purpose to protect the owner. The Suken on the front-side is a perfect Yamashiro style Suken. You can find the top of Suken wider and it was positioned along the Mune-side. These are specific points of Yamashiro engraving. It has a Japanese calligraphy note by Kanzan Sato “It was forged by Heianjo Nagayoshi but it is the Nijimei Nagayoshi signed piece”.