Kazuhide Wakizashi
S0179
SOLD
A well mounted late work by the first generation Kazuhide. Ubu, one mekugiana, signed, Unjusei Kazuhide saku kore/ Tenpo ju ichi ne ni gatsu jitsu (a day in the year of the rat, February, 1840). Hirazukure, sakizori, mitsumune. Hawatare: 1 shaku 9 bu (33.03 cm or 13.004"). Motohaba: 3.02 cm. Kasane: 7.3 mm. Gunome, mixed with slightly togare gunome, deep ashi iri, fine nie, and kinsuji, nado. Tight itame hada with a small area of nagare, the jigane has a moist appearance, nado. A double square (especially valuable) in Nihonto Meikan. Valued at 2,500,000 yen in Shibata's Toko Taikan.
The fuchi-kashira are Mino work, shakudo nanako, of rocks, flowers, and cicada in silver, gold, and shakudo. The Kozuka is Mino work, shakudo nanako, with two cicada and a praying mantis in shakudo, copper, and gold. The menuki are shakudo ravens. The polished shibuichi Nara school tsuba, Pictures a landscape with a man and an ox in takazogan of silver, shakudo, and gold. The reverse is a fall scene with tied crop, and geese flying overhead. The in tact ribbed saya is lacquered in brown, with black stippling. The sageo is hand woven.
Kazuhide was a student of Suishinshi Masahide. The shodai Kazuhide has recorded work dated from Bunka go nen (1809) to Tenpo ju ni nen (1841). He died in May, 1841. The second generation, first signed as Kazuyoshi, took the name of Kazuhide in 1841, presumably after the the death of the shodai.