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Fujiwara Kunimasa III 三代目藤原國正

Also known as: Fujiwara Kunimasa III 三代目藤原國正; primary name: Fujiwara Kunimasa
Details: individual; goldsmith/metalworker; Japanese; Male
Other dates: 1716-1736 (c. active)
Biography: Swordsmith. Kunimasa III and Kunimasa IV both used the signature 'Fujiwara Kunimasa'. Both smiths worked in Musashi Province at about the same time and both belonged to the Hojoji school. Kunimasa III, who was active about the Kyoho era (1716-36), was the first Kunimasa to be retained by the Edo 'bakufu' working in Edo together with the Yasutsugu family and may well have been granted the hollyhock 'mon'. Kunimasa IV, who was active about the Kanpo era (1741-44), is recorded as having used the hollyhock 'mon'. Permission for use of the hollyhock 'mon' by the smith was probably approved by the shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune (q.v.) himself, who was renowned for his patronship of swordsmiths.