説明
Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Tegarayama Ujishige with NBTHK
Tokubestsu
Hozon
Certificate
【Description】
This blade was signed by Banshu Tagarayama Fujiwara Ujishige (播州手柄山藤原氏繁) in the 7th year of the Tenmei era (1787: the late Edo period). Banshu is another name for Harima province in today’s Hyogo prefecture. Tegarayama is the school Ujishige belonged to. The maker’s name, Ujishige, lasted a few generations. And, based on the year it was made, we believed it was created by the third-gen Ujishige.
First, Ujishige signed 氏重. While the name’s pronunciation was the same, a different Kanji character was used for the second letter. They used 氏重 as their maker’s name between the 1 -3 generations. And they received Yamato Daijo, an honorable official title from the imperial court, for their excellent craftsmanship. However, the fourth generation Ujishige had to change it to 氏繁 by the order made by Harima province. In 1788, the 4th-gen Ujishige was hired by Matsudaira Sadanobu, the third head of Shirakawa domain in Fukushima prefecture, as an Okakaekaji. Okakaekaji is a swordsmith exclusively serving one domain or lord. And the 4th-gen Ujishige was also forged in Edo city (Today’s Tokyo). He received Kai no Kami in 1803, being acknowledged by Matsudaira Sadanobu.
It is said that one of the blades forged by the 4th-gen Ujishige was owned by Nagakura Shinpachi, a member of Shinsengumi (新選組), a military unit formed as guards or Shogun at the end of the Edo period.
The school’s name Tagarama came from the fact that they forged blades near Tegarayama mountain. Tegara means achievement in Japanese, and because of this auspicious name, the blades made by members of Tegarama school were popular among high-class Samurai.
This blade 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(Nagasa)
:
54.5
cm (21.4
inches)
Curvature(Sori)
:
0.90
cm (0.35 inches)
Hamon
:
The crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process
Jimon(Jihada)
:
visible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process
Nakago
:
Nakago is the tang of the Japanese sword.
Japanese swordsmiths left the black rust on the tang because it prevents red rust while the tang is in its handle. And the discoloration of the tang was created over time, and it is a great indicator for a Japanese sword specialist to estimate when the sword was forged.
Koshirae:
Koshirae is the mounting of the Japanese sword. There are several parts that consist of Koshirae such as Saya(Scabbard), Tsuka( Handle), Tsuba(Handguard).
Fuchi-Kashira
:
A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.
We think this Fuchi Kashira is made from copper. The surface of this Fuchi Kashira is decorated with the Nanako-Ji (魚子地) technique. This process creates a uniform minimal protrusions pattern by hitting the Nanako-Ji Tagane (魚子地鏨, a chisel for this technique) on a metal surface. This decorative technique is often seen on sword mountings.
About the design, you would find the figure of a bird resting its wings on a tree branch on each Fuchi and Kashira part. While some colorings have already faded due to aging, golden paint was initially applied to these birds and branches. We estimate these birds are Karasus (烏, crow) because of their appearance. Crows are animals closely associated with solar worship. Ancient people believed that a three-legged bird lived in the sun. At a shrine where a crow is worshipped as a messenger of the gods, the three-legged crow represents heaven, earth (natural environment), and humans. This view says that God, nature, and humans are brothers born from the same sun.
Tsuka and Menuki
:
Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is
