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Hamon : Nie deki gunome midare. There are togari formations as well as hako-midare. Hataraki includes ashi and sunagashi. There is quite a bit of fine bright inazuma in the monouchi of both the omote and ura.
Kitae : Itame mixed with mokume becoming in masame in the ha. The jigane is a hada tachi and prominently clear. Nie hataraki includes much ji nie and long chikei.
Boshi : Ko-maru made up ko-nie with a medium pointed return.
About this sword : The Kiyomitsu group of shinto smiths are descended form the Kaga Fujishima tradition of koto times. There were 12 generations that continued until Meiji. According to the Nihonto Koza, translated by Harry Watson, the ones by Harima no Daijo Kiyomitsu, such as this work, are the best ones. The Koza also explains that he is considered an Etchu smith because he lived in Etchu Tomiyama, which is outside the main tradition of Kashu Kiyomitsu. This Kiyomitsu is sometimes affectionately called "Juningatsu" (December) Kiyomitsu because of the manner in which the right side of the "Kiyo" section of the mei is cut. It resembles Ju(ten) ni(two) and gatsu(month). This is the way "December" is written in Japanese.
This blade shows the level of workmanship we would expect from a jo saku smith. The ji nie and chikei as well as ample inazuma in the hamon are all signs of high skill. The nakago is a wonderful example of the classic kaga katayamagata style and recalls this traditions beginnings with the koto Fujishima smiths. It should be mentioned that Harima no Daijo Kiyomitsu is ranked "Wazamono" by the Yamada family for the excellent cutting ability of his blades. This is a blade that can be appreciated as a representative work for the school, a fine work by a Jo saku smith and having a deki known to be well suited for the battle field.
The mounts for this blade are quite charming. They convey a serious and practical tone and have good quality. The tsuba is a thick iron example of dense heavy construction. The fuchi kashira appear to be plain iron at a glance. However, close inspection reveals perfectly fitted shakudo inserts to the inner cavity of each. The mouse menuki are well made examples with nice line detail and gold inlay for the eyes. The same is of the high quality variety with large nodules and the lacquered tsuka ito remains fully intact. Appropriately, the blade is fitted with a silver Kaga style habbaki. The saya has been recently re-lacquered and the blade also comes with a shirasaya and a tsunagi.
Overall this blade presents a wonderful opportunity. It is an ubu zaimei work by a Jo saku smith. It is in full polish and has a NBTHK Hozon paper. It is accompanied by a shira saya as well as a complete Edo jidai koshirae.
Price: $5,900
- SALE -
$5300
nihontocraft@bellsouth.net
