Lot 78F
East Asia, Japan, Edo Period, ca. mid-18th century CE. A gorgeous katana with a single-edged blade, a scabbard (saya) made of lacquered (urushi) wood, and a handle (tsuka) wrapped with stingray skin (same) and cotton straps (tsuka-ito). Two gilt-brass ornaments (menuki) within the handle wraps depict long-stemmed flowers. The top of the discoid iron guard (maru-gata tsuba) displays a house beneath a tree and figures near a bridge, and the bottom shows a single figure on a dock. A brass outer rings sits just above the gilt-copper blade cap (seppa). The shinogi-zukuri steel blade has a higher ridge line than the shobu-zukuri design, a diamond-shaped (iori-mune) profile, and a lightly curved (chu-kissaki) tip. A gentle wave (notare-hamon) formed by the tight-grained hammer-folding process (itame-hada) runs the length of the blade. Size (w/ sheath): 2.75" W x 37.25" H (7 cm x 94.6 cm); (length of blade): 26.6" L (67.6 cm)
The katana is an example of a daito, a long sword, that could only be worn by samurai of higher rank (shorter swords called wakizashi could be worn by craftsmen, traders, and merchants, and are more commonly found today). Over the centuries that katana were made, the process of their manufacture became heavily regulated. For example, in 1683, the Tokugawa Shogunate made laws about the maximum size of katana and wakizashi. Meanwhile, once a samurai took ownership of his new weapon, he had to wear it in a highly regulated manner. Katana in this period were both deadly weapons and signs of status. The craftsmanship of this piece is evident and reflects hundreds of hours of work.
Provenance: private Jones collection, Boulder, Colorado, USA, acquired in May 2016; ex-private California, USA collection
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#154282
- Condition: Blade, sheath, hand guard, and handle with stingray skin are from the Edo period, and menuki, handle wraps, cap above guard, and sheath cord are from a later time. Minor nicks and abrasions to blade, sheath, guard, and handle, with softening to some details on guard, light fraying to handle wraps, and light encrustations on guard. Wonderful patina throughout. Blade is still incredibly sharp.
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