A Hojoji wakizashi | Signed Tajima no kami Hojoji Tachibana Sadakuni with kinzogan [gold inlay] cutting test inscription | Edo period, dated Kanbun nananen gogatsu jukyunichi (19 May 1667)

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Lot Closed

May 11, 02:33 PM GMT

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Property from a Private Collector

A Hojoji wakizashi

Signed Tajima no kami Hojoji Tachibana Sadakuni with kinzogan [gold inlay] cutting test inscription

Edo period, dated Kanbun nananen gogatsu jukyunichi (19 May 1667)

Sugata [configuration]: Shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, shallow tori-zori, ko-kissaki

Kitae [forging pattern]: Almost masame-hada

Hamon [tempering pattern]: Wide suguha with some midare, ko-nie deki

Boshi [tip]: Very narrow boshi with short kaeri

Nakago [tang]: Ubu, ha-agiri, kuri-jiri, with one mekugi-ana, signed Tajima no kami Hojoji Tachibana Sadakuni, dated Kanbun nananen gogatsu jukyunichi (19 May 1667), and with kinzogan cutting test inscription Mitsudo saidan Yamano Ka'emon nanajusai Nagahisa (Yamano Ka'emon Nagahisa at the age of seventy cut through three bodies), and with kao

Habaki [collar]: Copper-gilt clad

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]

Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 51 cm., 19 ¾ in.

Sori [curvature]: 0.7 cm., ¼ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 1.7 cm., ⅝ in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.9 cm., 1 ⅛ in.

The tang (nakago) of the blade bears an inscription in gold inlay (kinzogan) of a cutting test by Yamano Ka’emon Nagahisa (1597-166), a sword tester appointed by the Tokugawa shogunate. The inscription explains that Nagahisa used the wakizashi to cut through three bodies at the age of seventy, testament to his prowess with the blade. As was practise at the time, the bodies would have either been living criminals bearing a death sentence, or that of corpses. Nagahisa’s renown allowed him to test many blades from the great swordsmiths at the time, the results of which were most often recorded with kinzogan on the tang of the sword used.