Mutsu no Kami Tadayoshi Wakizashi
S0515
SOLD
A wakizashi signed, Hizen Kuni Mutsu no Kami Tadayoshi . Ubu, one mekugi ana, shinogizukure, iroi mune, chu kissaki, shallow zori. Hawatare: 1 shaku 7 sun 2 bu 3 rin (652.2 cm or 20.55"). Motohaba: 2.673 cm. Sakihaba: 1.987 cm, Kasane: 5.81 mm. Chu suguba in fine konie. Ko-itame hada hada. Some superficial staining, but requires a full polish.
Iron Higo fuchi-kashira, mountain road design. Gilt menuki of gods of good fortune. Lacquered tsuka ito torn and coming apart. Iron sukashi tsuba. Black lacquer saya, a little chipping, and missing kozuka. An iron sukashi tsuba.
Mutsu no Kami was the third of the Hizen Tadayoshi school masters, active around Kanbun (1661 - 1673) Rated Jojo Saku in Nihon Toko Jiten - Shinto Hen. Tokuno's Toko Taikan rates him at 10,000,000 yen.
Although this signature is cut
with confidence, and all the strokes are correct, with the feel of a genuine
signature, I find the slight upward angle of all the kanji a little off putting.
There are examples of individual kanji with this slant, but I couldn't find an
entire signature with this characteristic. Given the long productive life
of the smith, this variation may well be within reason. This must be
weighed against the fact that the swords of the first three generations were so
popular, that the Nabishima Daimyo had later generations forging these earlier
smith's work. So this may be an example of a skillfull forgery, or a
slightly atypical signature of Mutsu no Kami. A
gambler's price
Hizen Kuni Mutsu no Kami Tadayoshi
The slight upward slant compared to a known example
(yes, the mekugiana is in the correct place for a wakizahi)
Example from Shinto Taikan
