Naginata, Shirasaya

[ Signature ] omote : -　ura : engraved seal

[ Size ]Blade length: 56.66 cm (1 shaku 8 sun 7 bu 0 rin), Curvature: 1.21 cm (4 bu 0 rin), Base width: 3.12 cm, Base thickness: 0.73 cm, Base thickness of the ridge: 0.84 cm, Two mekugi holes, Blade weight: 916 g, Total length of shira-saya: 125 cm

[ Province ] Musashi

[ Feature ]
Form : Naginata-style blade, with an iori-mune ridge; the blade is broad, with a slight thick layer of grain, the curvature shallow, and the tip wide.
Nakago : The nakago tang is original, with a diagonal file mark and decorative filing; the tip is chestnut-shaped, and there are two mekugi holes.
Engraving : The engraving features a naginata-style groove carved on the reverse side.
Jigane : The jigane has an itame-hada surface mixed with mokume-grain patterns, with a slightly raised texture, showing ji-nie and chi-kei.
Hamon : The hamon consists of a mixture of gu-no-me and wavy patterns, with good ni-ie, sunagashi patterns and scattered yaki.
Boushi : The boshi is straight, turning to a small round tip, with the yaki extending down to the lower half.

鞘書 : 於武州作陽士正義 刻印有之 刻印ノミデ銘文ヲ切ラザリシハ献上若シクハ自負心ノ表レノ何レカノ意味合ナラン備前伝同様二同工ガ得意トスル相州伝ノ作域ヲ示し出来宜矣　
　　　　　　　　 惟吋甲午暦仲呂探山邉道識(花押)

Inscription on the scabbard: Made in Musashi Province by Yoshi Masayoshi. The seal is present. The fact that the signature was not carved with a chisel suggests it was either a tribute or an expression of pride. Like the Bizen tradition, this shows the age of creation of the artist’s work within the Sōshū tradition, which is his speciality; the workmanship is excellent.
Written in the year of the Horse, the month of Churo(April), by Tanzan Hendo, with a sealed design.

[ Highlight ] Masayoshi Hosokawa (the second generation) was the son of Masayoshi, the first-generation swordsmith of Kanuma in Yashu. Known as Shuzeinosuke, he moved to Edo and became a disciple of Suishin-shi Masahide. His earliest signature was ‘Masakata’, later changing to ‘Morihide’; he was the de facto successor who created swords according to his master’s theories, and is known, alongside Taikei Naotane, as one of the two pillars of the school. He became a court smith for the Matsudaira family, lords of the Tsuyama Domain in Bizen Province, and spent much of his life in Edo, specialising in the Sōshū and Bizen traditions. He passed away on 6 June 1858, aged 73. This piece is a short sword that exemplifies Masayoshi’s Sōshū-style craftsmanship applied to a naginata, characterised by its restrained curvature.

[ Conditions ] There are some tiny, dot-like indentations on the base of the collar and approximately 5 cm below the tip on the ridge side, but otherwise it is in excellent condition.

[ Attachments ] Habaki(suaka-ji, silver foiled, single), shirasaya, bag of shirasaya and NBTHK Tokubetsu hozon paper特別保存刀剣鑑定書(issued on 13th August Heisei 24(2012))

[ Item number ] A090526 [ Price ] JPY 1,400,000- (shipping and insurance fee are not included in the price)

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