NANKI MONJU SHIGEKUNI 2

Nanki Monju Shigekuni

S0329

SOLD

A mounted sword by the second generation Nanki Shigekuni, who worked in Kishu around Kambun (1661 - 1673). Shinogizukure, iroi mune, chu kissaki. The nakago is suriage and machiokure, three mekugiana, signed, Kishu ju Monju Shigekuni tsukuru. Hawatare: 2 shaku 1 sun 0 bu 6 rin (63.82cm / 25.125"). Motohaba: 3.02 cm. Sakihaba: 2.08 cm. Kasane: 5.9 mm. The hamon, which at a glance appears to be a simple suguba, is a very complicated combination of nijuba, sanjuba, koichigaiba gunome, with ha nie, kinsuji, nado. The sword needs, and deserves, a first class polish, so the pictures of the hamon are not as crisp as I would like them to be. The jigane is an itame nagare with masame mixed in, jinie and chikei. The nidai Nanki Monju Shigekuni is rated Josaku in Fujishiro's Nihon Toko Jiten - Shinto Hen, and valued at 6.000,000 yen in the Toko Taikan by Tokuno. This is just out of the woodwork, and so has never been to shinsa, but the work speaks for itself.

The koshirae is the most unusual that I have seen in my fifty three years of collecting and dealing with these things -- OMG, that I am that old! This was obviously made for export, as the mounts are entirely impractical for use. The tsuka maki is carved wood, as are the menuki and fuchi. The kashira and part of the wooden tsukamaki has been lost. The elaborate saya has lost many of its same inlay, but must have been stunning in its day. The iron sukashi tsuba has a couple of mon, and what I would swear is cannabis. It is unusual to see a blade of this quality in export mounts.

The blade should be polished, and the mounts preserved as an important example of nineteenth century export work.