Echizen Kanetaka (fss-805)
Echizen Kanetaka (fss-805) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale A very interesting sword made by Kanetaka. This katana has a wonderful hamon that is very lively and loaded with hataraki/activity. The mixture of the activity and overall balance in this hamon make it a very fine example of Kanetaka work. You can find much ji-nie and temper in the ji area. Its very difficult to give a good example of the hamon in the pictures because of the older polish. I can only say that in hand its much more beautiful than the pictures can show. The hada is ko-itame and is very well forged and has no flaws. This katana is in an older polish with some scuffing but has no serious rust. As for the mounts/koshirai, they are original to the sword. They came directly from the WWII effort. The handle is obviously the older katana handle with it’s fitting that date back over 100 years to the Edo era. The habaki is of copper with silver foil covering. These mounts were used and adapted to be carried during WWII. It’s a unique mount and very interesting to see the transition from the older fitting to the adaptation for the war. The saya was covered with leather to protect the older lacquer. The cover still has its strap and buckle, to hold the sword tightly in its scabbard. A hanger was also added in copper with a tassel. I find these mounts extremely collectable, there unique transition from older to newer adjustment for the war is fascinating. Swordsmith information:The NBTHK papers point to the...
Hirado-Sa (fss-800)
Hirado-Sa (fss-800) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale A very interesting tanto from nambokucho to Oei era. Good activity/hataraki in the hamon is visible. A well forged hada and a lovely shape make for a desirable very early tanto. This sword is a beautiful tanto of gunome midare in itame with much ji-nie. This sword dates back to the 1300’s and has a very good history and is considered by many as a very desirable school to collect. This early tanto dating to the 1300’s is very healthy and robust. This is truly a wonderful koto era tanto from the Hirado Sa line of swordsmiths. The origin of Sa was that he lived in Chikuzen Oki bearch and was the son of Nissai.It was believed at one time that he was one of the 10 great students of Masamune but there is conflicting evidence suggesting this is not true. The Soshu-den style of his work was definitely at the top level of this.The well grained jigane is truly spectacular. This school continued until Nanbokucho periodand after that Sue Sa smiths such as Yasuyohoshi, Yukihiro and Yoshisada were active.This sword is said to be the Hirado-Sa school that was active around middle to late Nanbokucho period.It is a wide and thick tanto and the jigane is clear and refined in the Soshu-den style. The hamon and hada are well grained.There are over 30 swords that have passed NBTHK Juyo .The work is fine and healthy and may go to a higher level. HIRADO SA School KUNIFUSA TEI-WA (t: O-SA): Came from CHIKUZEN. HIRADOZAEMONnoJO. Father of HAKATA KUNIMITSU. Brought SA style undulating GUNOME-NOTARE BA....
Yamato Masanori (fss-733)
Yamato Masanori (fss-733) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale One of the true masters of Keicho Shinto. This smith can be found in most books and especially the ” Masters of Keicho Shinto by Markus Sesko “.. There is an outstanding gunome midare hamon. The hamon has an abundant amount of hataraki/activity and in a fresh polish will stand out beautifully. There are many tobyaki/yubashiri above the hamon. The hada is very clear and has a milky appearance and is well forged. This is mounted in shirasaya with silver rain storm style habaki. This sword is from an old collection and is papered to Den Masanori. Masanori was from the Yamada (山田) family and signed his name in early years with the characters (正法). He came originally from Miyatsu (宮津) in Tango province and was a late smith of the lineage of SanjōYoshinori (吉則). Via a stopover in Yamashiro, he moved to Fukui (福井) in Echizen province where he became a student of Kanenori (兼法). We know date signatures from the 13th year of Keichō(1608) to the fourth year of Keian (慶安, 1651). He had one successor who moved later to Edo. Although Masanori was mostly active somewhat later than Keichō, his early works are nevertheless interpreted in Keichō-shintōstyle. We can see a strong resemblance to Mino, or to be precise to Sue-Seki and Kanefusa (兼房) in his works, but certain blades remind of Hizen Tadahiro, Echizen Yasutsugu, or of the Horikawa school. A fine example of the older style blades this sword is polished and mounted in shirasaya “. A fresh polish would greatly enhance the value of the...
Jakushū-jū Fuyuhiro (fss-695)
Jakushū-jū Fuyuhiro (fss-695) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale This is a very interesting Katana in the Koto tradition that appears Soshu in character and attributed to Fuyuhiro and of the late muromachi era. It is in a nice polish and has a cutting edge of over 27″ and appears ubu and mumei. The overall shape of this Katana is impressive and the hamon is loaded with activity. The hamon contains plentiful nie with Suagashi and Kinsuji to be seen as well as some tobyaki. The hada has a milky slick looking finish and forged very well with some areas of O- hada mixed in. This blade comes in shirasaya with horn insert.. The Hamon is a brilliant Midare-ba based in sugu-ba with gunome present and loaded with activity. The hada is a swirling itame-nagare and some Masame with many hataraki as well. There is chikei and profuse ara-nie as well as ji-nie. Tobyaki, ashi and yo is quite prevalent. The boshi is a thick hakikake The tang shape is unusual and is usually sometimes associated with other schools and smiths of Soshu origin. These swords are known to have FUYUHIRO HADA. It is flowing with MASAME that stands out. JI-NIE. MIDARE, NOTARE-MIDARE and GUNOME-MIDARE. 3rd generation banners greater exuberance with TOBI-YAKI, MUNE-YAKI and HITATSURA in KO-NIE. The most prolific FUYUHIRO can be found with a standing HADA with JI-NIE. SUGUHA, GUNOME-MIDARE and NOTARE BA. GUNOME-MIDARE with TOBI-YAKI and MUNE-YAKI. HITATSURA. Occasionally there is wide MIDARE HA with more NIE but often the YAKIBA is a defined NIOI that is narrow. As well as the contributing factors of the activities of this...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.