(Inoue Shinkai) Kunisada (2nd) (fss-816)
(Inoue Shinkai) Kunisada (2nd) (fss-816) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale Item description: We are pleased to showcase this exceptional Inoue Shinkai Kunisada blade. Kunisada (Shinkai) is a saijo-saku level swordsmith, the highest level that can be achieved for a swordsmith. Inoue Shinkai is considered one of the best of the Osaka Shinto smiths and this blade shows his incredible workmanship. The Jihada is a beautiful blend of well worked mokume and itame. Chikei and ji-nie can be found in abundance. The hamon has a lovely glowing nioi-guchi frosted with ko-nie throughout. Small inner workings of kinsuji can be seen. The boshi follows the hamon in maru which is also sprinkled with a fine layer of ko-nie. The blade is ubu with one hole and signed “Izumi No Kami Kunisada” and the yasurime is in Sujikai stye and is in perfect condition with a wonderful patina. The koshirae for this blade is outstanding. The mounts are a deeply carved shakudo with gold of a floral and arabesque pattern and theme. The saya is in the Togidashi Makie style with minor damage from use and and has an antique white silk sageo to match the string wrapped tsuka. String wrapping in silk such as this is of the best quality and is generally done only on the best of swords. The Same (rayskin) is of a lovely antique ivory color with large nodules. There is kodzuka and kogai. The kodzuka has a Mt. Fuji theme to match the Mt. Fuji shaped habaki. There is a presentation box with Hakogaki dated to Taisho (1924). This is very unique and historic by itself. Most swords do...
SHITAHARA CHIKASHIGE DEN (fss-811)
SHITAHARA CHIKASHIGE DEN (fss-811) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale Item description: This sword has been attributed to the Shitahara school by the NTHK shinsa. There are many details which point this blade to this school, including the unique jihada which has a circular swirling pattern and is known as uzumaki-hada or shitahara hada. The dark jigane is also found in Shitahara blades and is a trait of this school. The Shitahara school is a well regarded school with great smiths. A rare longish Hirazukiri blade almost Katana in length this blade sports an attractive Bohi on both sides. Technically an O-Wakazashi this blade feels and looks like a katana. It is very light and well balance. The hamon is full of hataraki such as sunagashi, kinsugi and more.The hamon is an O-gunome based in Notare. The swirling mokume or Uzumaki-hada is a sight to see and appreciate. The tang is text book Shitahara and a solid kantei point. A beautiful and unique rare blade by the founders of this school. The blade is in shirasaya and there is a full set of high ranking military mounts that the blade was originally found in. The tsuka is adorned with a family mon of bamboo theme. History on the Shitahara school: Founded around the Eisho (1504) and Kyoroku (1528) eras in the later Muromachi period, a swordsmith named Tajima (no) Kami Chikashige from the Yamamoto clan, is credited with the foundation of the Shitahara school in what is now the Hajioji district of Metropolitan Tokyo. It is thought that he was employed by Oishi Sadahisa, a high ranking retainer of the Yamaouchi....
PROJECT WAKAZASHI (fss-799)
PROJECT WAKAZASHI (fss-799) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE BEEN ASKED BY MANY OF OUR CLIENTS TO LIST THEIR ITEMS THAT ARE IN NEED OF RESTORATION ETC. FOLLOWING IS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL BLADES THAT WILL BE LISTED AT A VERY REASONABLE PRICE. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE SIGNATURES ETC. AND EACH PIECE IS SOLD AS IS. WE DO HOWEVER GUARANTEE THERE ARE NO FATAL FLAWS. WE TRY TO PRESENT BLADES THAT ARE WORTHY OF RESTORATION. YOUR DUE DILIGENCE IS ADVISED AND YOU MAY FIND A GEM LURKING AMONGST THESE ONCE VALUED TREASURES!! ALL ITEMS ARE PRICED ACCORDINGLY. A nicely preserved signed “YOKOYAMA KOZUKE DAIJO FUJIWARA SUKESADA” wakazashi that has very nice workmanship and a active hamon. This blade is ubu and signed with a long signature. A collection of activity may be found with a proper polish. This is a great looking blade with good possibilities if polished. The condition of this piece is in a very restorable condition as can be seen in the pictures. The pictures not do justice to this sword. The hada is very well forged with a very tight itame. The mounts are original and add to the overall value of this item. A Bizen tang and shape can be seen as well as the workmanship. Mei: YOKOYAMA KOZUKE DAIJO FUJIWARA SUKESADA Date: Edo (1700’s-1800’s) Nagasa: 21-3/4 inches Sori: 11.0 mm Width at the ha-machi: 31.4 mm Width at the yokote: 21.2 mm Thickness at the mune-machi: 7.1 mm Construction: Shinogi zukuri Mune: Iori Nakago: Ubu Kitae: Itame/mokume Hamon: Midare Boshi: Maru Condition: old polish Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Image This sword is on consignment. Special Sale Price Sold On Hold Asking price: $900.00 (shipping and insurance included) Email us if...
Takada Tadayuki (fss-770)
Takada Tadayuki (fss-770) New Item Available Sold On Hold Special Sale The Bungo province in Kyushu produced such excellent sword-smiths as Yukihira in the Koto times. The Bungo Takada school was founded by Tomoyuki in the Nanbokucho period. Tomoyuki is considered to have been a superior sword-smith. With the passage of time it is generally felt that the quality and style declined and by the Muromachi period all of the works were pretty much the same. There are different schools of thought on the quality of Bungo works made in the Shinto period. Members of this school are also known as the Fuijwara Takada because they used Fujiwara as a family name in their signatures. An immediate response from many “sword experts” when Bungo works are mentioned is that they are not swords of great quality. Others feel that they are good swords. Perhaps the foundation of this difference of opinion is that if you look at the structure of Bungo Takada swords, you will see that they were made to satisfy practical rather than artistic needs. Indeed, at times they were sought out because of their cutting ability and sturdiness. Bungo and Fujiwara takeda both used many different styles of hamon due to the transference of knowledge from the many schools in close vicinity to them. It is said that the founder of the Bungo Takada school was Tomomitsu or Tomoyuki. Takada Swordsmiths in the Shinto age engraved the last name “Fujiwara”, and so they are called the Fujiwara Takada. One of the neighbors of the Takada school was the Hizen school. Hizen sword makers were controlled by Nabeshima daimyo...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.