Perry’s arrival in 1853 unraveled the Tokugawa peace and created the first mass demand for working swords in two centuries. Kiyomaro, called the Masamune of Yotsuya, died on its eve; Munetsugu and Yukihide carried the boom to the end.
This tanto is attributed to Aizu Kanesada, the 11th generation smith who forged swords for figures like Hijikata Toshizo during the late Edo period. Though unsigned, it is a robust and elegant piece with a wide blade, prominent shinogi, and gomabashi engravings. The jitetsu is finely forged, and the hamon is a bright suguha mixed with shallow gunome, showcasing the characteristic quality of Aizu Kanesada's work. It comes with a shirasaya and a koshirae featuring a black ishime-ji nuri saya with a 7-5-3 kizami pattern, iron fittings with silver inlay depicting snow, and a kozuka with an owl design.
NihontoWatchmumei · Shin-shinto · nagasa 26.7cm
Mino-den · Iwashiro · around 1854-1860
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 39%
1 piece on the market now
Mino-den · Iwashiro
7 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kanesada兼定 | 1818-1869 | 0 |
| Kanesada兼定 | 1624-1644 | 0 |
| Kanesada兼定 | 1624-1644 | 0 |
| Kanesada兼定 | 1655-1658 | 0 |
| Kanesada兼定 | 1661-1673 | 0 |
Bakumatsu: the last war market
Perry’s arrival in 1853 unraveled the Tokugawa peace and created the first mass demand for working swords in two centuries. Kiyomaro, called the Masamune of Yotsuya, died on its eve; Munetsugu and Yukihide carried the boom to the end.
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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.
