-, 59th Session — Designated October 11, 2013
, : Yasumasa (保昌)
Measurements 78.25 cm, 1.65 cm, 3.0 cm, 2.1 cm, 3.2 cm, 20.0 cm, 0.1 cm
Description Keijō: , ; somewhat wide with a noticeable difference between base and tip widths; moderate ; slightly shallow ; . : running well with undulating tendency; dense, thickly-adhering ; present; appears along the grain. : Based on a fine ko-, with extremely shallow and mixed ; enter; adheres well; in places , uchi-noke, and appear; mixed with a sense of ; with and . : with small areas of ; on the it is finished in an -like ; on the it turns back briefly. : On both sides, carved kaki-nagashi. : Greatly shortened (), tip cut ; file marks ; two ; unsigned.
Artisan Yasumasa (保昌)
Era Late period to period
Explanation The Yasumasa lineage of Yamato Province is known, from surviving works, to have been based in Takaichi District. The group flourished from the end of the period into the period. Among its representative smiths, Sadamune and Sadayoshi are the best known; additionally, skilled makers such as Sadakiyo and Sadahiro are recorded, all sharing the character (貞) as a common element in their names. The manner of this group typically reveals an overall forging in the and often employs -based tempering.
This blade displays strongly running together with prominent ; the adheres finely yet thickly. The , in a fine tendency with , shows along the edge, and features such as , uchi-noke, , and appear here and there—features that manifest the Yasumasa-group style in many places. It is a work that evokes the elegant taste characteristic of Yamato craftsmanship, and it is also pleasing that it remains (sound and well-preserved).
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