AS19431 Katana:Yasunobu Dated: A lucky day in June, Showa 15 (1940)(NBTHK Hozon Token)

Ordering number:AS19431

Katana: In Shirasaya, with Military Mounting (NBTHK Hozon Token)

Signature: Yasunobu
Dated: A lucky day in June, Showa 15 (1940)
靖延
昭和十五年六月吉日

Showa Era: Yasukuni Sword
We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku.
This piece is ranked as Jyojyo Saku among the works of Yasunobu.
Habaki: Plain copper
Blade Length: 68.2 cm (26.85 in)
Curvature: 2.0 cm (0.79 in)
Mekugi Hole: 1
Width at Base (Motohaba): 3.00 cm (1.18 in)
Width at Tip (Sakihaba): 1.88 cm (0.74 in)
Thickness of rim (Kasane): 0.72 cm (0.28 in)
Sword Weight: 685 g
Era: Showa period. Showa 15 (1940).
Shape:A well-balanced katana with ample width and thickness, deep curvature, and a slightly extended kissaki.
Jigane:Tightly forged ko-itame with fine ji-nie, forming a clean, plain-style surface.
Hamon:Nie-based suguha with small gunome, incorporating ko-ashi, nezumi-ashi, and a rounded boshi turn-back.

Features: Murakami Yasunobu, born Enzaku in Yamagata Prefecture on April 24, 1907 (Meiji 40), joined the Yasukuni Shrine Nihonto Tanrenkai on December 15, 1933 (Showa 8) as an assistant to Ikeda Yasukuni.
On January 11, 1939 (Showa 14), he received the swordsmith name “Yasunobu” from Army Minister Seishirō Itagaki.
He produced approximately 1,000 blades during his tenure at the Nihonto Tanrenkai.
In February 1939, he forged a sword dedicated to Yasukuni Shrine, and in March of the same year, a sword for the 700th anniversary memorial of Emperor Gotoba.
On December 21, 1944, he won the Chairman’s Prize at the 2nd Military Sword Exhibition hosted by the Army Ordnance Administration Headquarters.

Koshirae:
Military mounting (guntō koshirae)

Aoi Art’s Comment: Yasunobu, born Murakami Enzaku in Yamagata Prefecture, joined the Yasukuni Shrine Nihonto Tanrenkai in 1933 as an assistant to Ikeda Yasukuni.
He received his smith name from Army Minister Itagaki in 1939.
He retired on August 15, 1945, following the end of the war.
Notable works include the 1939 sword dedicated to Yasukuni Shrine and the sword presented at the Gotoba-in 700th Anniversary Memorial.

NBTHK Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper with Whole Oshigata