AS20238-Katana: Koyama Bizen Suke Munetsugu

Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae.(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)
Signature :　Koyama Bizen Suke Munetsugu　固山備前介宗次
Ko-ka 4Nen 2 Gatsuhi.

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku Jyo saku
and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Jyo Jyo Saku ranking.
Shinshin To:Jyo-Jyo saku ranking: Musashi.
The blade was polished by high-ranking polisher.
Habaki :　Gold foiled single Habaki.
Blade length:68.3　cm or 26.88inches.
Sori :1.8 cm or 0.70inches.
Mekugi :1
Width at the hamachi:2.77 cm or 1.09inches.
Width at the Kissaki:2.285 cm or 0.89inches.
Kasane: 0.68cm or 0.26inches.
The weight of the sword:675grams.
Era:The late Edo period, Kouka 4(1848)
Shape:The blade is thick and wide, Ububa remains, Kakudome Bohi is engraved, Sori is deep and Kissaki gets big: good shaped work.
Jigane:Koitame-hada well grained, Jinie attached, Hadame is visible.
Hamon:Choji-midare mixed with Gunome-midare, Ashi works well, Nioikuchi is deep, Kinsuji works in Hachu.
Boshi:Midarekomi style, tip turns back round.

Special feature:Koyama Bizen Suke Munetsugu was born in Shiraka, Oushu in Kyowa 3(1804), named Soubei and later he was called as Issensai and Seiryosai(wordsmith names), 2 brothers:Munehira and Munetoshi. At first he was an employed swordsmith at Shirakawa Matsudaira family, but after the domain was relocated to Seishu-kuwana, he worked as a Kuwana-domain swordsmith while living in Edo. He lived firstly in Azabu-akasaka, dinally in Yoysuya-samoncho. In Koka 2(1846), he received the name “Bizen Suke”. He kept producing swords from the late Bunsei era(1818-1831) to the early Meiji period(1868-1912), which means we have many swords of him. This work is a great masterpiece made by him at the age of 45; the prime time.

Koshirae :
Tsuba: Mokko shaped Brass-nanako plate, chrysanthemum is engraved. The rim is covered by Shakudo.
Fuchikashira: Shakudo-nanako plate, chrysanthemum is engraved with gold color.
Saya:Kuro-ishimeji Saya.
Menuki: Chrysanthemum is engraved with gold color.
Kogai: Copperplate, wave pattern is engraved.

From Aoi Art: This sword has a great Jigane: Koitame-hada closely grained with Jinie attached, and Nioi-ish Choji-ba, but it is different from normal Munetsugu because this work was clearly intended to make Ouei-bizen in the early Muromachi period. Normally his Jigane is clean and like plain but the Jigane of this sword has a visible Hadame. Hamon is slightly dark Choji-ba, Kissaki’s Hamon seems that he tried to reproduce Ouei-bizen. Kakudome Bohi reminds us of Morimitsu of Ouei-bizen, different from his normal works. Koshirae is a full-set of chrysanthemum flower, it fits the blade so much. We definitely recommend this work for you.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper: whole Oshigata.