Important Japanese Swords and Armour from the Paul L. Davidson Collection
Important Japanese Swords and Armour from the Paul L. Davidson Collection
Lot closes
08:00:32
•
March 25, 03:11 PM GMT
Estimate
25,000 - 30,000 USD
Starting Bid
20,000 USD
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Read more.Lot Details
Description
A ko-wakizashi
Signed Bishu Osafune Sadamitsu (Sadamitsu from Osafune in Bizen Province)
Nambokucho period, dated Oan sannen sangatsu hi (a day in the 3rd month of 1370)
Sugata [configuration]: hira-zukuri, iori mune, broad mihaba, sun-nobi (large dimensions), thin kasane with a shallow curvature
Kitae [forging pattern]: moku and nagare hada mixed in itame, hadatachi overall, with extremely fine ji-nie, there is a kawarigana of a chikei style inserted, a hint of jifu is mixed in, and midare utsuri stands out
Hamon [tempering pattern]: togariba and kakubaru (square) gunome and the like are mixed in ko-gunome, it becomes a small pattern overall, abundant ashi and yo are inserted with strong nie, yubashiri is mixed in the yakigashira (heads of the gunome), there is kinsuji and sunagashi, and the nioi-guchi is bright and clear
Boshi [tip]: midare-komi, saki is togari with a fairly deep return, and is hakkake
Horimono [carvings]: katana-bi and a tsure-bi are kakinagasu (run past the machi onto the nakago) on the omote and ura
Habaki [collar]: gold on copper
Nakago [tang]: ubu (slightly machi-okuri), saki is kurijiri, very slight curvature, yasurime is katte sagari, two mekugi-ana
In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard] with sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro
Koshirae [mount]: the late koshirae (20th century) with black lacquer saya, the shakudo nanako kozuka inlaid in silver and gold with plum blossom, the blade inscribed,
Nagasa [length from kissaki to machi]: 34.4 cm., 13½ in.
Sori [curvature]: 0.6 cm., 1⅛ in.
Moto-haba [width at the machi]: 3.2 cm., 1¼ in.
Nakago length: 12.3 cm., 4¾ in.
Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Juyo Token [Important Sword], no. 10802 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 12 (2000).
Art of the Samurai: The Paul L. Davidson Collection (New York, 2023), p. 32.
This wakizashi shows wood burl (mokume) mixed into a general wood grain pattern (itame) with some flowing (nagare) elements, and is hadatachi overall. There is very fine nie appearing in the area between the longitudinal ridge and the hamon. The is a pronounced, irregular and faint cloudy pattern that appears like a reflection in the tempering pattern (midare-utsuri). The high technicality achieved by this smith is notable in the abundant activity present in the blade. The tempering style incorporates several features: small invected patterns (ko-gunome) are blended with strong togariba, with instances of ashi and yo; there is nie, kinsuji, sunagashi and the nioiguchi is bright and clear. Few examples of this smith are extant.
The sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro has been translated as:
Osafune Sadamitsu of Bizen province
Forty-sixth Juyo Token [Important Sword] Designation
This has an Oan 3 (1370) era dating. This smith is classified in the Kozori kaji. This works shows the superior skill of the smith, and moreover, this is such a rare and precious piece.
Lovingly preserved by Paul Davidson.
This ko-wakizashi has a hacho of slightly over one shaku, one sun and three bu.
An auspicious day in October 2000, the Year of the Metal Dragon according to the 17th term of the sexagenary cycle.
Evaluated and confirmed by Tanobe Michihiro and kao [cursive monogram] .
