説明

Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Minamoto Masao with Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate 【Description】 Summary This blade was signed by Minamoto Masao (源正雄) in the 6th year of the Ansei era (1859: the end of the Edo period). The signature also says that this blade was made for Nishino Minamoto Suketoshi (西野源祐寿). He forged this blade in Ezochi, which is the old name of today’s Hokkaido. He used iron sand produced in the area. Masao is ranked as a top-tier swordsmith at the end of the Edo period. Masao’s birth name was Suzuki Jiro (鈴木次郎). He was born in Mino province (Today’s Gifu prefecture). He was famous for being the best apprentice of Minamoto Kiyomaro (源清麿), one of the most renowned swordsmiths at the end of the Edo period. Masao was trusted by Kiyomaro so much that he sometimes did a Daisaku for Kiyomaro. Daisaku is a regular act where an apprentice or a child of the swordsmith signs his master’s name with his master’s permission or forges a blade on behalf of the master. That means that his master highly acknowledged Masao’s craftsmanship. That is also why there aren’t many remaining blades signed by Masao, who dedicated his career to helping his master. It is said that Masao became an independent swordsmith in the 6th year of the Ka-Ei era (1853). He first resided in Okachimachi, Edo (today’s Tokyo). It is worth noting the rarity of Masao’s work in Hokkaido, given his short stay there. In the 5th year of the Ansei era (1857), Masao was invited by Matsumae domain, a direct retainer of Tokugawa Shogunate located on today’s Hokkaido island. During that time, the Edo government was building Goryokaku (五稜郭), the star-shaped fortress in Hakodate city, and opening an iron factory that used iron sand from Hakodate. We assume the government needed Masao’s skills to ensure the quality of the steel Hakodate produced. He served Matsumae domain exclusively, dedicating his skills to the domain. His stay in Hokkaido was just about three years. His return to Edo after finishing his task in Hokkaido marked the end of a unique chapter in his career. Overall, his active period was only 12 years (1853-1866). The Background History Japan enjoyed a relatively peaceful time from the early Edo period to the mid-Edo period(the 1600s-1760s) because of the stable economy and the powerful government run by Tokugawa Shogun. Samurai didn’t have many opportunities to utilize his Katana sword in public or on battlefields during this time. Thus, they carried their swords more as a symbol of their social status. The demand for weapons decreased accordingly compared to the previous Warring state period called Sengoku Jidai (1467-1600). As the end of the Edo period(1764-1876) approached, the Japanese sword’s role underwent a dramatic transformation. With the spread of poverty in Japan and the ensuing civil unrest, the sword became a crucial tool in maintaining public safety, a stark contrast to its symbolic role in the earlier, more peaceful periods. The mounting pressure from foreign countries to open Japanese borders, coupled with internal strife, forced the Samurai to order swords that not only served as symbols of their status but also as practical tools for survival. Many swordsmiths, including Masao, dedicated their efforts to forging high-quality, practical blades for their masters, preparing for the battles that seemed inevitable in those tumultuous times. There was a civil war between Tokugawa’s military government and the new Meiji government at the end of the Edo period. That means the original owner of this Katana might have seen the moment when Samurai’s life changed forever. This blade has a strong looking and must have been practical to use in that demanding time. It is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token (特別保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK(Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). This authentication paper was only given to authentic Japanese swords, especially well preserved and high quality with artistic value. 【 Blade】 Cutting Edge Length(Na

Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Minamoto Masao NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
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Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Minamoto Masao NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

売却済

世界81社の刀剣商を横断追跡 · 価格履歴 · 売却アーカイブ

仕様

長さ

70.5 cm

反り

2 cm

作者について

Kiyomaro Masao正雄

2 重要刀剣

Yamaura Masao was born in Bunka 1 (1804) in Akaiwa village, Komoro, Shinano Province, the eldest son of the rural samurai Yamaura Nobukaze and elder brother of the celebrated Kiyomaro. Together with Kiyomaro, he studied under the Ueda domain smith Kawamura Toshitaka, signing early works as Kanri and Toshimasa before adopting the name Masao, then Shin'o, and finally Toshinaga in his later years. He used art names including "Tennenshi," "Yushaken," and "Yuunsai," and died in Meiji 7 (1874) at seventy-one. His stylistic trajectory followed that of his brother: beginning with *choji* in the manner of Toshitaka, then shifting decisively toward *Soshu-den*. The setsumei consistently note a forging of *itame-hada* with thick *ji-nie* and conspicuous *chikei*, and a tempering of *gunome* mixed with *ko-notare*, richly laden with *nie*, *kinsuji*, and *sunagashi*. His finest katana (Juyo, 58th Session) is described as possessing "a powerful forging -- thick with *ji-nie* and heavily interwoven with *chikei*" in which "*kinsuji* and *sunagashi* activities are richer than usual even for this maker's work." Yet the NBTHK observes that "in comparison with Kiyomaro, his work tends to show fewer *chikei* in the *ji* and fewer *sunagashi* and *kinsuji* within the hardened area, and the overall quality does not reach Kiyomaro's level." Despite this candid assessment, Masao's designated works demonstrate a smith of real accomplishment, particularly in the *Soshu-den* mode where *nie* is vigorously expressed and his *shobuzukuri* wakizashi display the sharp *fukura-kare* profile he favored. His output spans both katana of bold construction and wakizashi of refined character, and his commissions from named patrons attest to the regard in which he was held during the *shinshinto* era.

刀剣商

サムライミュージアム

samuraimuseum.jp

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