美濃清宣
Mino Kiyonobu
Momoyama Jidai Wakizashi
SCHOOL Mino
PERIOD Momoyama, Circa Bunroku (1592-1596)
PAPER/CLASSIFICATION NBTHK Hozon  
MEI "Kiyonobu" 
FORM Wakizashi
NAGASA 40.9 cm
SUGATA  Hira-zukuri
SORI Saki-sori
MUNE Iori-mune
KASANE 8 mm
MOTOHABA 3.1 cm
NAKAGO CONDITION Ubu
NAKAGO SHAPE Standard with ha-agari kuri-jiri 
MEKUGIANA One
YASURIME  Higaki


Hamon :  Nie deki gunome midare. There are many togari formations. Ashi are at the tani of each gunome. The nioi-gichi is bright and sunagashi can be seen.

Boshi :  Midare-komi tending toward togari. The return is long and nie-hataraki is present.

Kitae :  Itame hada with masame mixed in. Ji-nie and chikei are abundant. The forging pattern is consistent, clear and vivid. Conspicuous ko-nie and chikei can be seen along the mune.

About this sword :   Kiyoenobu was a Mino smith and active around Bunroku (1592-1596). He lived in Seki and was the grandson of the fourth generation Kanenobu. His works are not often seen and this one is an excellent example. Mino den can be clearly observed in the abundance of togari (pointed) formations and the higaki yasurime. This blade is showing strong nie hatraki and representative of the transition to shinto tokuden from earlier Mino blades that were nioi-deki with shiraki utsuri. The blade is very healthy and in nice old polish with a few light scratches.

This wakizashi is accompanied by an Edo period koshirae. Based on the shape of the jiri, this would have been the sho of a daisho rather then a chisa-gatana for a merchant. The lacquer is in good condition and the tsuka-ito looks to have been professionally re-wrapped in recent times. The kinko tsuba bears the Kanemaru mon and a floral pattern. The shibuichi fuchi kashira is signed "Shozui". This mei is not genuine. The menuki are shakudo nanako with gold, copper and silver highlights. A professionally made tsunagi and ki-habaki are present as well as a storage bag. There is a charming old shira-saya for the blade. It has a horn koiguchi and horn fuchi. There are also horn inlays for the mekugi-ana areas. The shira-saya also has a storage bag.

Lastly, this blade has an NBTHK Hozon paper. In addition to verifying that the mei is genuine and the blade is worthy of preservation, the paper also states the blade is a Mino work. A healthy and rare signed example of Mino Kiyonobu.

Price: $3900




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