A katana | Attributed to Awataguchi Kuniyasu | Heian - Kamakura period, late 12th - early 13th century

Formerly in the Collection of Paul L. Davidson; Gifted to Peter Bleed (Funds from this Lot will go Towards Supporting Further Sword Study)

A katana

Attributed to Awataguchi Kuniyasu

Heian - Kamakura period, late 12^th - early 13^th century

Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri, iori mune, mihaba is narrow, shinogi line is high, with a deep koshizori, chu-kissaki

Kitae [forging pattern]: very tight ko-itame, with very fine ji-nie, and is pristine

Hamon [tempering pattern]: a hint of ko-choji, ko-gonome, and notare are mixed in a suguha tone, overall the notare is closely spaced, ko-ashi and yo inserted, the nioi is wide, with abundant ko-nie, there is fine kinsuji and sunagashi, and here and there a small pattern of yubashiri appear in the yakigashira (the heads of the gonome towards the shinogi)

Boshi [tip]: suguha with a small rounded return, the saki is slightly hakkake

Nakago [tang]: o-suriage, very shallow curvature (0.2 cm.), saki is kiri, yasurime is kiri, two mekugi-ana, unsigned

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard] with sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 74.6 m., 29⅜ in.

Sori [curvature]: 1.9 cm., ½ in.

Saki-haba [width at the yokote]: 1.9 cm., ½ in.

Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 2.9 cm., 1⅛ in.

Kissaki length: 2.8 cm., 1⅛ in.

Nakago length: 17.8 cm., 7 in.

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Juyo Token [Important Sword], no. 1390 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 14 (2002).

Six brothers are known among the Awataguchi smiths active in the early Kamakura period (1185-1333). Kuniyasu was the third oldest and named Tosaburo, a common name for the third son in a family. Kuniyasu was among the famed swordsmiths employed by the retired Emperor Gotoba (1180-1239) known as the Goban kaji, along with his elder brothers Kunitomo and Hisakuni.

The katana displays a tight steel surface (hada) with small clove-like (ko-choji), invected (ko-gonome) and undulating (notare) patterns in the tempering, all mixed in a straightly tempered (suguha) mode. Overall the notare is closely spaced with abundant bright nie particles in the cutting edge (ha) and a small yubashiri pattern in the yakigashira, particular traits attributable to Kuniyasu and the Awataguchi school.

The sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro has been translated as:

Forty-eighth Juyo Token [Important Sword] Examination

Awataguchi Tosaburo Kuniyasu

O-suriage and unsigned.

It shows fine forging in the beautiful tempering, and the yakiba has classic elegance. The virtues of the smith are exhibited throughout. This is an excellent piece of work that imparts elegance and is enveloped in refinement. It is rare and precious.

Length: slightly over two shaku, four sun and six bu.

An auspicious day in June 2006, the Year of Fire Dog Fire Dog according to the 23rd term of the sexagenary cycle

Inspected and confirmed by Tanzan and kao [cursive monogram]

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