September 10-12, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/10/2024
Yukinaga is recorded in Fujishiro as a chu-jo-saku (Superior medium made) smith circa 1658 as a member of the Takada ha; his blades are also recorded as Ryowazamono, indicating that they were very good cutting swords. 66.6cm nagasa (approximately 26 - 1/4") of classic shinogi zukuri form. Sword grain is a very tight itame-mokume mixture, with classic masame in the shinogi-ji. Temper line is a midare based on suguha, with plenty of nie, ashi, yo, and tobiyaki, with a string of tobiyaki at the monouchi that resembles clouds. Wide boshi. Suriage nakago with kiri jiri, two mekugi-ana, katte sagari yasurime, and signed Fujiwara Yukinaga. Accompanied by two sets of papers, one a NBTHK Hozon paper dated August 25th, 2020, and an NBTHK Kicho paper dated May 9th, 1965. Adding to the desirability of this sword are the custom army mounts, which have a single hanger, leather wrapped saya with catch, pierced tsuba, and a copper habaki with the family name Shimada. Sea green tsuka ito and high quality sa-me, menuki in the form of a swarm of birds, and kabuto gane with blue-and-brown sword tassel for Company officers. With storage bags. PROVENANCE: This sword came from Mike Yamasaki, the noted sword authority, who acquired it from the original family. Oral history was the officer who had this sword was a doctor from a known samurai family, so they mounted a family blade in custom mounts for him to take to war. It was a common practice to mount familial blades for soldiers, so they could carry a family relic with them and draw on the spiritual power. The presence of a Bungo blade adds to this, as Bungo blades were well regarded for their reliability and cutting ability, making them a prime choice for a real working samurai, rather than an art piece. CONDITION: Excellent, healthy, and in polish. Activities are clear throughout, jigane is a little soft but still very visible. Some very minor handling marks and associated marks from age that do not detract. Mounts are very good with some minor handling marks, such as surface scrapes to leather. True samurai blades like this are highly desirable, and a maker like Yukinaga coupled with the World War II connection make this a wonderful complete package, already papered.
Paperwork
NBTHK Papers, Mounts