tachi;
blade;
daisho
- Museum number
- OA+.3808.a
- Description
-
Sword blade (tachi). Fudo's sword engraved on side. Made of steel. Stored in wooden sheath, inside blue striped bag. With mounting (registered separately).
- Production date
- 1333-1392
- Dimensions
-
Length: 71.70 centimetres (without tang)
-
Curvature: 1.70 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Harris 2005
This 'shinogi zukuri' blade with a large 'kissaki' has been considerably shortened from its original length. On both sides of the blade are carvings of 'suken', made after the blade was shortened. The tang has two holes and the file marks are 'kiri'. The tang tip is 'kurijiri'.
The grain is prominent 'itame' mixed with 'mokume' and flowing 'hada'. There is 'jinie', some of which agglomerates to form 'tobiyaki'. The 'hamon' is 'suguha' overall and contains 'midareba' with dense 'nie', 'gunome', 'ashi', 'yo' and much 'sunagashi'. The 'boshi' is 'midare komi' and has 'haki' on the return. The 'hamon' seems to stop at the reshaped 'hamachi' (whereas it might be expected to continue into the rust on the new tang), but this is probably due to the blade having been partially heated to soften the tang and reshape it.
The shape of the blade if extrapolated to its original length dates it to the Nambokucho period (1336-92). The dark and vivid forging as well as the prominent 'mokume' distinguishes it as a Hokkoku mono (work of the northern provinces). The 'jigane' is somewhat similar to that found on the work of Etchu Norishige (a pupil of Masamune), who is associated with the early Uda school of Etchu. It is therefore not unreasonable to suggest that this blade was by Tametsugu who was a contemporary of Norishige and is believed to have been his direct pupil.
The 'tachi' mounting of this sword forms a 'daisho' together with the mounting of a nineteenth-century 'tanto' by Masafusa of Satsuma Province (no. 61).
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1978
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- OA+.3808.a
