Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
This is a ken (straight sword) made by Yokoyama Sukekane, an active smith in Bizen Province during the late Edo period. It is designated as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token by the NBTHK. The inscription indicates it was created as a votive sword for the Seishin Daimyojin shrine in 1855.
Certificate reading — 銘 備前長船住横山祐包 安政二年五月廿五日 清森大明神
NihontoWatchmei · Kaei (1848-1854) · nagasa 28.7cm
Bizen-den · Bizen · around 1834-1872
Tōken Taikan top 60%
12 pieces on the market now
Bizen-den · Bizen
43 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sukenobu祐信 | 1830-1844 | 0 |
| Suketaka祐高 | 1865-1868 | 0 |
| Sukeharu祐春 | 1864-1865 | 0 |
| Sukehiro祐廣 | 1854-1860 | 0 |
| Sukekane祐包 | 1868-1912 | 0 |
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
NBTHK official siteCustomer-initiated returns accepted within two days of arrival; return shipping paid by customer and fees non-refundable. Returns/refunds unavailable for overseas deliveries.
This is a ken (straight sword) made by Yokoyama Sukekane, an active smith in Bizen Province during the late Edo period. It is designated as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token by the NBTHK. The inscription indicates it was created as a votive sword for the Seishin Daimyojin shrine in 1855.
Certificate reading — 銘 備前長船住横山祐包 安政二年五月廿五日 清森大明神
NihontoWatchmei · Kaei (1848-1854) · nagasa 28.7cm
Bizen-den · Bizen · around 1834-1872
Tōken Taikan top 60%
12 pieces on the market now
Bizen-den · Bizen
43 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sukenobu祐信 | 1830-1844 | 0 |
| Suketaka祐高 | 1865-1868 | 0 |
| Sukeharu祐春 | 1864-1865 | 0 |
| Sukehiro祐廣 | 1854-1860 | 0 |
| Sukekane祐包 | 1868-1912 | 0 |
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
NBTHK official siteCustomer-initiated returns accepted within two days of arrival; return shipping paid by customer and fees non-refundable. Returns/refunds unavailable for overseas deliveries.
