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Ikkanshi Tadatsuna II 二代一竿子忠綱

Also known as: Ikkanshi Tadatsuna II 二代一竿子忠綱; primary name: Ikkanshi Tadatsuna II; honorary title: Awataguchi Omi-no-kami; other name: Mandao
Details: individual; goldsmith/metalworker; Japanese; Male
Other dates: Late 17thC-
Biography: Swordsmith in Osaka; known in the Edo period as 'Mandao', who was noted both for the fine quality of his steel and his skill in decorative carving on his blades. He made many 'wakizashi' blades with fine sculptures of rather un-military motifs, and it has been said this indicates that many of his clients were merchants rather than samurai. He was the son of the first Awataguchi Omi-no-kami Tadatsuna, who worked first in Yamashiro (Kyoto), then Himeji in Harima Province, and finally in Osaka around the middle of the seventeenth century. The family was said to be descendants of the Kamakura-period smith Awataguchi Kunitsuna of the Yamashiro school. Tadatsuna II's early work often has a 'choji hamon', but later he made a form of 'toranba' (literally 'billowing hamon'), as did his contemporary Sukehiro (also of Osaka). His 'jigane' is always very bright, tight 'koitame'. The deep 'choji hamon' in clusters derives from the Kamakura-period Ichimonji school of Bizen, which was revived by the Ishido school in the middle Muromachi period. Many smiths in Osaka during the seventeenth century worked in versions of this vivid and contrived large 'choji'.

Museum number: 1958,0730.158.a-e |
Producer name: Made by:Ikkanshi Tadatsuna II 二代一竿子忠綱Made by:Katsukei Gyokusai |
Cultures/periods: Edo PeriodMeiji Era |
Production date: 17thC(late) 19thC |
Production place: Made in:Osaka-shi