Echizen Yasutsugu (fss-855)
Echizen Yasutsugu (fss-855) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale This is a good example of the 3rd generation Yasutsugu. The quality of this sword is very good and has no flaws. It was a family sword that was mounted in WWII for the war. It was mounted with an antique tsuba and antique menuki. This is not common and adds an interesting detention to the mounts. The blade has good activity and the hada/grain is very rich and dark looking. This sword is in full polish and is in a shirasaya. The mounts are held together with a wooden tsunagi. The sword comes with papers from the Nihon Tōken Hozon Kai (日本刀剣保存会) ‒ NTHK from Japan (Japanese sword preservation society). Info on smith:YASUTSUGU (康継), 3rd gen., Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Musashi – “Yasutsugu nanban-tetsu o motte Bushū Edo ni oite kore o saku” (康継以南蛮鉄於武州江戸作之, “made by Yasutsugu with nanban-tetsu in Edo in Musashi province”), real name Shimosaka Umanosuke (下坂右馬助), he adopted later the first name Ichinojō (市之丞), son of the 2nd gen. Yasutsugu, he was not of age when his father died and so a succession dispute arouse which resulted in the splitting to an Edo and an Echizen branch of the Yasutsugu school, it was settled that both were allowed to call themselves 3rd gen., according to tradition he was fully trained by his uncle and he worked later for the bakufu, we know date signatures from the third year of Kanbun (1663) to the third year of Enpō (延宝, 1675), he worked in the style of the 2nd gen. but did not reach his quality, he...
(Yasakuni) Yasunobu (fss-853)
(Yasukuni) Yasunobu (fss-853) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale An Impressive Yasukuni Shrine sword by the swordsmith Yasunobu. His full name Murakami Yasunobu and given name is Ensaku from Yamagata prefecture.According to the translation by Kenji Mishina for the JSS:He became a member of the NTKF ( Nihonto Tenren Kai Foundation ) 10/15/33 which made approx. 1000 swords.Given his Yasukuni smith name on 1/11/39 by War Minister, Itagaki Seishiro.Left 8/15/45 after the defeat by the Allied Forces.Donated a sword to the Yasakuni shrine 2/39.Donated a sword to the festival for the 700th anniversary of retired-Emporer Gotoba 3/39.Won the Chairman Award at the 2nd Gunto Tenran Kai 12/21/44His lineage: Ikeda Yasumitsu ( Ikko or Kazumitsu )He was making agricultural tools under the tutelage of Ikeda Ikko in Yamagata prefecture. This impressive blade is in pristine condition. The polish is outstanding and truly shows off the magnificence of the Yasukuni smiths workmanship. As most Yasukuni blades this is a brilliantly controlled Sugu-ha with a very tight Ko-Itame / Ko-Mokume Hada. The boshi is in Maru with no flaws to be found. The Habaki is finished in copper. And not to understate this completed with a wonderfully done Shira-saya of Honoki.Anyone interested in owning a truly perfect example of a Yasukuni Shrine blade by a noted Yasukuni Shrine Smith should own this sword or add it to their collection. This is a link to information about the Yasakuni shrine. It has a long and extensive history and is a place that that the Japanese people visit regularly. YASAKUNI SHRINE Mei: Yasunobu Date: Showa era Nagasa: 24-5/8 inches Sori: 15.0 mm Width at...
(Yasukuni) Yasumitsu (fss-852)
(Yasukuni) Yasumitsu (fss-852) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale This is a very fine quality yasakuni sword made by one of the instructors of the Yasakuni shrine. Ikeda Yasumitsu, joined the NTK at its founding and left in Showa 15 (1940). He passed away in Showa 16 (1941). He made many fine blades and this is a great example of his work. This sword resembles the old koto era swords that were very desirable and the Yasakuni smiths made swords in this style. This sword has a well forged hada and a elegant hamon with good hataraki. The mounts are military and in very good shape.The swordsmith, Ikeda Yasumitsu, joined the NTK at its founding and left in Showa 15 (1940). He passed away in Showa 16 (1941).IKEDA YASUMITSU (BORN 2ND NOVEMBER 1879, DIED JANUARY 1941). Given name: Shuji.Originally from Yamagata Prefecture. Became a member of Nihonto Tanren Foundation as well as Sakite, Abe Shigeo and Murakami Ensaku.Given the Yasukuni smith name “ Yasumitsu “ by the war minister, Araki Sadeo on 15th of December 1933.Retired on 4th of October 1939. He was still in a position of leadership and made a small number of swords after his retirement.Left the foundation and went back to his hometown at the end of 1945.Number of swords produced at Nihonto Tanren Kai: Approx. 1,100 swords. MAIN WORKSDonated a sword to the Yasukuni Shrine in 1933.Made a sword for Prince Mikasa in the occasion of his coming-of-age celebration in 1934.Donated a sword to the festival of the 700th anniversary of the retired- Emperor Gotoba in March 1939.Had made uncertain number of...
Ishidô Unju Korekazu (fss-850)
Ishidô Unju Korekazu (fss-850) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale Ishido Korekazu was a nephew of Kato Chounsai Tsunatoshi, He was taught and learned from him and he succeeded the Ishido familyas the seventh generation, he passed away in 1894 at the age of 75.He made So-den bizen den style which is a combination of Bizen and Soshu den style.The First generation Korekazu was skilled in making Bizen den style with beautiful Utsuribut the7th generation Korekazu made swords in the Soshu style.This sword was made on a day in the second month Keiô three (1867), year of the hare.This sword is a combination of gunome/ choji midare within a notare blend hamon which is very rear bright and clear. The activity is amazuing and unusually clear with multitudes of hataraki such as sunagashi, kinsuji. Ko-nie and a wonderful frosting of nie can be seen on the habuchi. There are swirts of mokume as well as masame make up this eye catching hada.There is horimono on both sides odf the blade. A masterful carving of a cherry blossom tree as well as a poem in Buddhist calligraphy and Sanskrit bonji.The mounts keep in theme the advent of the cherry blossom. In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhist influence,] and which is embodied in the concept mono no aware. The association of the cherry blossom with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga The transience of the...About Moses Becerra
With over 30 years of experience and dedication to this art you can count on his integrity, professionalism, passion and honesty to work with new and old clients every day.