AS26011 Wakizashi：Taikei Naotane (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Ordering Number: AS26011

Wakizashi in Shirasaya (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature: Taikei Naotane
大慶直胤

Sayagaki: written by Mr. Tanobe.
Shoji Taikei Naotane.
This blade bears a four-character signature and was made around Bunka 1 (1804).
It displays a finely forged jigane with a medium suguha hamon, interspersed at intervals with gunome and tobiyaki.
The nie is abundant and strong, mixed with coarse nie, and the boshi returns in a rounded form.
An excellent and important reference work for understanding the earliest period of this smith’s craftsmanship.
Blade Length: Slightly over 1 shaku 5 sun.
Written by Tanzan (kao) on an autumn moon-viewing day in the Kinoto-Mi year.

Shinshinto: Saijyo-saku: Musashi.
(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku).
This blade is ranked as Jyojyo Saku among the works of Taikei Naotane.
Habaki: Single-layer gold-covered habaki.
Blade Length: 45.76 cm (18.02 in).
Curvature: 0.61 cm (0.24 in).
Mekugi Hole: 1.
Width at Base (Motohaba): 2.94 cm (1.16 in).
Width at Yokote: 1.97 cm (0.78 in).
Thickness of rim (Kasane): 0.76 cm (0.30 in).
Sword Weight: 510 g.
Era: Edo period, around the Tenpo era (1830-1844).
Shape: A wakizashi of standard width with substantial kasane.
Jigane: Exceptionally well-forged ko-itame hada mixed with mokume.
Hamon: Suguha in the lower portion, transitioning to gunome-midare toward the upper half.
The boshi returns in a rounded form.

Features: This blade is thought to have been made when Taikei Naotane was about 25 years old.
Its period can be identified from the style of the signature, as his early inscriptions were cut with particularly bold and powerful strokes.
Naotane was born in Yamagata, Uzen Province, and was originally known as Shoji Minobei.
He used the art name Taikei and became a disciple of Suishinshi Masahide, serving together with him under Lord Akimoto.
Around Bunsei 4-5 (1821-1822), he received the title Chikuzen Daijo, and in Kaei 1 (1848) he was granted the title Mino no Kami.
He passed away on May 7, Ansei 4 (1857) at the age of 79.
His career spanned approximately fifty years, from the Kyoho era through the Ansei era.
His earliest works, like those of his teacher Suishinshi Masahide, featured dynamic hamon with a deep nioiguchi and were highly acclaimed.
However, after his teacher judged that such blades were prone to breaking, he adopted a more restrained forging style.
Naotane mastered a remarkably wide range of styles, producing blades in deep nioiguchi gunome-midare, ko-gunome-midare, Soshu-den, Mino-den, and even styles reminiscent of Kiyomaro.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token.
AoiArt estimation paper: Whole Oshigata.

Please note: The price does not include the international shipping fees.