Bizen Saburo Kunimune
JT0018
An important juyo katana by the shodai Bizen Saburo Kunimune. Kunimune was the son of Kunizane, and worked around Shogen (1259). While there are no dated examples, this date is inferred from a nidai tachi which is dated Showa (1312-1317). It is surmised that Kunimune would have been a contemporary of Osafune Mitsutada (1249) and Moriiye (1238). Kunimune was a student of Naomune, and not of the Osafune line.
He was summoned to Kamakura by Hojo Tokiyuki, Shogun of the Kamakura Bakufu, and is said to have been, along with Ichimonji Sukezane and Awataguchi Kunitsuna, one of the founders of the Soshu kaji school. However, he continued to work in Bizen style with exuberant choji and nioi structure. The Mune kanji used by Goro Nyudo Masamune is imitative of the kanji used by Saburo Kunimune, while his Masa kanji is imitative of Ko-Bizen Masatsuna.
Kunimune is an extremely important smith. Four of his tachi are Kokuho (National Treasure), including the famous sword that was returned by Dr. W. A. Compton; six of his tachi are Juyo Bunka Zai; and eighteen of his swords are rated Juyo Bijitsu Hen.
This sword was included in the NBTHK Exhibition at the Token Hakubutsu Kan of Selected Juyo from the 48th Juyo shinsa.
Hawatare: 2 shaku 4 sun 6 bu 3.6 rin (71.1cm or 27.99"). Sori: 2.3 cm. Motohaba: 2.65 cm. Sakihaba: 1.9 cm. Kissaki nagasa: 3.3 cm. Nakago: 18.5 cm. Form: Shinogi zukuri, iroi mune, wide mihaba, a noticeable difference in width between the motohaba and sakihaba, high shinogi, chu-kissaki. Forging: Itame-mokume hada with nagare and o-hada, tending to be a little loose. Hada tatsu is visible even in the hamon. Ji nie, chikei and midare utsure reflections. There are shiroshimi (white spots in the ji). Temper pattern: Gunome choji, sakachoji with a reverse slant, kawazuko choji mixed in the irregular hamon. The choji are square headed. There is kinsuji, gifu, what appears to be inazuma, and profuse hataraki, nado. There is his characteristic nioi shimi (fading nioi) and hajimi (the hamon can be come misty)Boshi: Notare returning in ko-maru. Nakago: o-suriage, mumei, three mekugi ana. Sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro stating that this is Chincho (an especially precious treasure).
$58,000
NBTHK Exhibition Catalog of Selected Juyo - #16 Is This Kunimune
