AS26201 Katana : Sappan Shin Motohira, a date in August, Tenmei 6 (1786) 薩藩臣元平 天明六年八月日(40th NBTHK Juyo Token)

Ordering Number: AS26201

Katana in Shirasaya(40th NBTHK Juyo Token)

Signature: Sappan Shin Motohira, a date in August, Tenmei 6 (1786)
薩藩臣元平
天明六年八月日

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku)
This work is ranked as Jyojyo Saku for Sappan Shin Motohira.

Habaki:
Blade Length: 66.9 cm (26.34 in)
Curvature (Sori): 1.4 cm (0.55 in)
Mekugi Hole: 1
Width at Base (Motohaba): 3.44 cm (1.35 in)
Width at Tip (Sakihaba): 2.69 cm (1.06 in)
Thickness (Kasane): 0.72 cm (0.28 in)
Sword Weight: 920 grams
Era: Edo period, August, Tenmei 6 (1786)
Shape: The blade is wide with a thick kasane, and bo-hi grooves are carved on both sides.
Jigane: Ko-itame hada is well grained and tightly forged, producing a jigane with a blackish tone.
Hamon: Nie-deki.
Gunome-midare in which sunagashi and kinsuji are active.
The boshi has a deep nioikuchi and turns into midarekomi.

Features: This Motohira has been handed down in the Unshu Matsudaira family.
It is also published in the Token Zufu (sword catalogue), where it is recorded that this blade was one of those handed down in the Unshu Matsudaira family.
Oku Motohira was a swordsmith of the Satsuma domain and the eldest son of Oku Motonao; he was commonly called Zaemon.
He was born in the 1st year of Enkyo (1744) and passed away in the 9th year of Bunsei (1826) at the age of 83.
Together with Hoki no Kami Masayoshi of the same province, he was one of the two foremost masters of the Satsuma Shinshinto school, and in the 1st year of Kansei (1789) he received the title of Yamato no Kami at the same time as Masayoshi.
His works can be seen from the Meiwa era (1764–1772) onward.
At first he signed “Satsuyo Shi Motohira” or “Sappan Shin Oku Motohira,” and after receiving his title in 1789 he most often signed “Oku Yamato no Kami Taira Ason Motohira.”
His works typically show gunome-midare mixed with ko-notare and togariba, with a deep nioiguchi, coarse ara-nie, and kinsuji and sunagashi, and he excelled in the Soshu tradition.
This katana likewise displays the Soshu tradition described above.
Round-topped gunome run in succession, mixed with ko-gunome and slightly pointed togari-gokoro no ha.
Thick ashi enter the hamon, the nioiguchi is deep, and nie adheres thickly and strongly with ara-nie mixed in.
Kinsuji and sunagashi appear, and the nie-suji are especially long and conspicuous.
Perhaps because it is a work of his younger years, the blade carries great power and shows a spirited, vigorous character.
Moreover, the robust shape, broad in width, thick in kasane and full in hiraniku, is thoroughly typical of a Satsuma blade and most appealing.
The boshi, vigorously swept with hakikake into a flame-like form, is crossed by the nie-suji popularly known as “Satsuma no Imozuru” (the sweet-potato vine of Satsuma), a feature unique to Satsuma swords.

Sayagaki: Signature: Sappan Shin Motohira, a date in August, Tenmei 6 (1786).
Designated as the 40th NBTHK Juyo Token.
Handed down in the Unshu Matsudaira family.
Blade length: 2 shaku 2 sun 1 bu.
Kore ari. Written by Seizan.

Historical Background: August of Tenmei 6 (1786) was a pivotal moment in the late Edo period, when Tanuma Okitsugu fell from power and the Tenmei Famine was growing ever more severe.
In that same month, major floods struck the Tamagawa and other rivers.
It was also a time when Suishinshi Masahide was producing his masterworks.

Developments around August, Tenmei 6 (1786)
– Political upheaval: Tanuma Okitsugu, the senior councilor (Roju), fell from power.
– The Great Tenmei Flood: Rain continuing from July brought heavy downpours and flood damage across the entire Kanto region, and the major rivers of the Kanto Plain in particular overflowed.

Aoi Art estimation paper: Whole Oshigata
40th NBTHK Juyo Token

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