May 8-10, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/10/2024
Born Yamamoto Tougo, and his initial name was Hiroshige; he became Munekuni after working as a swordsmith for Tokugawa Mitsukuni in 1685, making blades in the field camp. Munekuni and his brother learned the 15 fold technique from Omura Kaboku, who worked for the Echigo Matsudaira, and then Mitsukuni as a doctor. 69.8cm nagasa of a relatively slender sugata with a kissaki with a slightly stretched feeling, and iori mune. Jihada is flowing mokume with chikei and jinie throughout. Hamon is a rolling notare with sunagashi, ashi, and plentiful nie throughout. Signed katanamei "Sagami no Kami Fujiwara Munekuni" and ura "Shin jugo mai kan fushite tsukuru", indicating it was made with 15 folds. Kurijiri nakagojiri. One piece habaki made to look like a two piece. Satsuma koshirae comprise a red lacquered says with sayajiri depicting a dragon amongst clouds, while the tsuba, fuchi, and kashira are decorated with carved dragons in a different style; kashira further has shakudo waves with golden birds, and a pair of roundels, one with a rabbit and one with a bird in flight. Dragon menuki. With NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho papers dated September 8th, 1962, for the koshirae, and a set of NBTHK Hozon papers papers with the blade, dated Febuary 17th, 2005. CONDITION: Very good, blade is in polish with some kitae ware that follows masame grain, and a small area that looks to have been used to cut something and subsequently amatuerly polished at the habaki moto. Some small pockmarks approximately halfway down the blade. Koshirae is very good, saya relacquered, mounts with a rich chocolate brown patina. Sayajiri with thinning gold throughout. This is a wonderful complete package with an interesting inscription and NBTHK papers to boot.