This wakizashi is signed by Ozaki Nagato no suke Masataka, a smith from Settsu province who also worked in Kyoto and Edo. It features an impressive 'Ken maki ryu' carving with gold inlay in the eyes, and a unique blade shape with a sharpened shinogi-ji. The blade exhibits a tight ko-itame hada and a bright gunome hamon with abundant nie.
NihontoWatchmei · Bunsei (1818-1830) · nagasa 35.39cm · sori 0.58cm
Settsu · around 1818-1845
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
4 pieces on the market now
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
For two and a half centuries of peace the sword was the warrior’s legal badge rather than his weapon. Each great city developed its own manner, Edo’s tested strength against Ōsaka’s polished brilliance, until demand thinned in the era’s last decades.
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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
Price on request
