A very special sword forged by Masataka of Osaka Province. It appears by the signature that he traveled to Shikoku (Sanuki province) to make this exquisite sword. We don’t have many examples of special ordered swords by this smith. This blade at almost 28”, is a ShinShinto masterpiece. Complete with a gorgeous carving of a Dragon chasing the pearl with Bonji on the other side all deeply cut and most attractive, The horimono is of the highest quality. The sword is signed and dated as well as inscribed as a special order sword with title attributing the maker.

The sword forging produced a very tight itame with some mokume covered in ji-nie. The hamon is a wavy gunome choji with much activity to be seen. There is abundant sunagashi, kinsuji and a beautiful nioi –guchi.

The koshirae is covered with the tokugawa mons with a floral motif highly engraved. The lacquer emulates a cherry bark design. The hangers with leather straps are exquisitely designed and a rarity to behold. These mounts are complete and are in excellent condition.

The only thing we would recommend is to have us make a new shirasaya and tsunagi to preserve the sword and mounts as is for years to come.

MASATAKA TENRYÛSHI [TENPÔ 1830 SETTSU] SHINSHINTÔ CHÛSAKU

Even though he is said to be the chakushi of Ozaki Suketaka, in actuality, he is his grandson. In the Shintô Meishûroku he is listed as the son of Tomosaburô Takashige. I think that it was erroneously transferred to sword books at a later date. He was in Settsu around Tenpô, and he later moved to Kyoto. His works are mostly kanmuri otoshi, hamon is sugu nioi shimari, excellent works are few.

Signatures:
– OZAKI GENGO MASATAKA
– TENRYÛSHI MASATAKA
– OZAKI NAGATO NO SUKE FUJIWARA MASATAKA
– FUJIWARA MASATAKA

Plate I:
– OZAKI NAGATO NO KAMI MAGO
– TENRYÛSHI MASATAKA TSUKURU
– KEIÔ YONEN NIGATSU HI
– ROKUJÛNANASAI SAKU KORE

The Ozaki Nagato no Kami is Suketaka, and there are two stories that say that he is the grandson and the son, but actually, the “MAGO” here leaves no room for argument, and calculating from the age of the soemei, this smith was born in Kyôwa Ninen (1802), and this was when his grandfather Suketaka was 55 years old

Taikon/ Sword book references:
Tokotakan: P. 559
Hawleys: Mas 962

Efu no tachi, also called Hoso tachi, were likewise only worn by the highest ranking daimyo and officials of the court. Efu tachi have a shitogi tsuba. These are generally considered ceremonial mountings rather than combat mountings. Efu (Hoso) tachi were made from Koto through Showa times.