wakizashi;
blade;
saya;
kozuka;
kogai;
tsuka;
menuki;
tsuba
- Museum number
- 1952,1028.19.a-d
- Description
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Wakizashi (short sword blade) 1952,1028.19.a. Carving depicting Fudo Myo-o under waterfall on obverse; inset of carving of Fudo's vajra-hilted sword on reverse. Made of steel. Signed, marked and inscribed.
Saya (scabbard) 1952,1028.19.b with kozuka and kogai. Metal fittings with paulownia and chrysanthemums in gold inlay on shakudo nanako ground; made of ribbed and black lacquered wood.
Tsuka (hilt) 1952,1028.19.c. Metal fittings with paulownia and chrysanthemums in gold inlay on shakudo nanako ground; made of wood, ray skin, braided textile.
Tsuba (Sword guard) 1952,1028.19.d. Mokko-shaped. Paulownia and chrysanthemums in gold inlay on nanako ground. Made of shakudo.
- Production date
- 1833 (mid-spring)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 45 centimetres (without tang)
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Curvature: 0.90 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
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Mounted wakizashi
Blade signed Taikei Naotane
(died 1857 age 79)
Dated in accordance with 1833 AD
Naotane was a major smith of the "Shinshinto" (New Sword) era, when an effort was made to revive the military spirit of Japan in the face of increasing Western military power. The smiths made blades in the style and dimensions of the 12th to 14th centuries. The Hamon of "gunome" (reciprocating) on this blade is a revival of the Bizen province tradition, and the broad shape and shallow curve a revival of the great weapons of the "nambokucho" period during the 14th century. The sculpture is of the Buddhist Shingon sect deity Fudo Myo-O (The Unmoving), representing the ideal spiritual attitude of the swordsman. The metal fittings of the mounting are of the black copper/gold alloy shakudo with flowers in a coloured metal inlay.
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Harris 2005
This broad blade is 'hira zukuri' and has a 'mitsumune'. The tang has one hole and the file marks are 'kesho' with 'sujigai'. The tang tip is 'kurijiri'. On the 'omote' there are 'gomabashi' and a 'bohi' with an inset 'ukibori' carving depicting Fudo Myo-o under a waterfall; on the 'ura' there are 'gomabashi' and a 'bohi' with an inset 'ukibori' carving of a 'vajra'-hilted sword. The grain is well-ordered, serene 'itame'. The 'hamon' is 'gunome' mixed with 'choji', with many 'ashi'. It has a somewhat pointed 'boshi'. The fine carving is probably the work of Honjo Yoshitane (compare the 'wakizashi' by Naotane, no. 62).
Taikei Naotane (1778-1857) studied directly under Suishinshi Masahide in
Edo and, like Masahide, fostered many pupils (such as Naokatsu, no. 78). He travelled widely around Japan and has left swords with inscriptions including place names such as Sagami, Kyoto and Ise. He specialized in the Soshu and Bizen traditions, but his Bizen-style work is the superior.
The scabbard (also col. pl. 10) is ribbed and lacquered black. All the metal fittings have paulownia and chrysanthemums in gold inlay on a 'shakudo nanako' ground. The 'midokoro-mono' (matching set of 'menuki', 'kozuka' and 'kogai') are Goto family work.
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Harris 2005
This broad blade is 'hira zukuri' and has a 'mitsumune'. The tang has one hole and the file marks are 'kesho' with 'sujigai'. The tang tip is 'kurijiri'. On the 'omote' there are 'gomabashi' and a 'bohi' with an inset 'ukibori' carving depicting Fudo Myo-o under a waterfall; on the 'ura' there are 'gomabashi' and a 'bohi' with an inset 'ukibori' carving of a 'vajra'-hilted sword. The grain is well-ordered, serene 'itame'. The 'hamon' is 'gunome' mixed with 'choji', with many 'ashi'. It has a somewhat pointed 'boshi'. The fine carving is probably the work of Honjo Yoshitane (compare the 'wakizashi' by Naotane, no. 62).
Taikei Naotane (1778-1857) studied directly under Suishinshi Masahide in
Edo and, like Masahide, fostered many pupils (such as Naokatsu, no. 78). He travelled widely around Japan and has left swords with inscriptions including place names such as Sagami, Kyoto and Ise. He specialized in the Soshu and Bizen traditions, but his Bizen-style work is the superior.
The scabbard (also col. pl. 10) is ribbed and lacquered black. All the metal fittings have paulownia and chrysanthemums in gold inlay on a 'shakudo nanako' ground. The 'midokoro-mono' (matching set of 'menuki', 'kozuka' and 'kogai') are Goto family work.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1952
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1952,1028.19.a-d
