AS21629 Katana:　Kurihara Kenji Nobuhide

Ordering number:AS21629
Katana in Shirasaya (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature :　Kurihara Kenji Nobuhide
Ou Matsuda Hidetoshi Ju
Bunkyu 2 Nen 8 Gatsu Hi

(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.
The blade was polished.
Habaki :　Gold foiled double habaki.
Blade length :　71.8　cm or 28.26 inches.
Sori : 1.4 cm or 0.55 inches.
Mekugi :1
Width at the hamachi : 3.19 cm or 1.25 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 2.29 cm or 0.90 inches.
Kasane : 0.72 cm or 0.28 inches.
The weight of the sword 815 grams.
Era : Edo period around Bunkyu era.
Shape : Wide and thick Katana. There are Dokko, sword with dragom, and Bo-Hi.
Jigane : Ko Itame Hda and Mokuhe Hada mixed. There are Chikei.
Hamon : Nie Deki, Gunome Midare. In the Ha, there are Sunagashi and Kinsuji.
Boshi is Midarekomi and round style.

Special feature:Kurihara Kenji Nobuhide was well known sword smith of the Kiyomaro student.
He was born in Niigata prefecture 1815.
He was a mirror maker before but studied from famous Kiyomaro.
He liked to engrave on the sword contrary his master Kiyomaro.
His engrave was excellent work so he got high reputation from the sword collectors at that time.
This sword has nice Horomono(engraving) and stately shape.
Kurihara Nobuhide is a top ranking swordsmith very well known as a student of Yamaura Kiyomaro.
Nobuhide has born at Echigo province, Niigata prefecture now.
He became craftsman of mirror at first and then changed his job to the swordsmith.
He was also skillful at engraving Horimono.
On Meiji 5th(1873), he forged special Katana for Emperor Meiji.

Generally student must follow his master but the swords forged
by Nobuhide were made with his own style on both Hamon and Jigane. Hamon or Kiyomaro are gentle from Hamachi area but Homon of Nobuhide goes opposit way. He made very active Hamon from the Hamachi area. I think the Nobuhide is one of the top ranking sword maker in late Edo period. This sword is having very active Soshu style Hamon with attractive Jigane. We strongly recommend this sword. He lived in his hometown for the rest of his days, but one day he suddenly went to his daughter’s house at Tokyo and passed away at Meiji 13th (1880).

with copy of Kurihara Nobuhide no Kenkyu on page 78(Reserch of Kurihara Nobuhide).
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper
Framed whole Oshigata(*frame glass is partially damaged).