Rai Kunimitsu
JT0006
SOLD
Katana, o-suriage, attributed to Rai Kunimitsu. Hawaratare: 2 shaku 1 sun 5 bu (65.14973 cm or 25.6495"). Sugata: shinogizukure, torii sori, chu kissaki. The jigane is tight hada tatsu itame ko-mokume packed with ji nie, profuse chikei, and nie utsure. There is a hint of Rai jigane. The hamon is a brilliant suguba ko-midare with short koichigaiba in ko-nie deki with gunome, choji, and ashi, ha nie, and profuse kinsuji. The boshi is ko maru with hakikaki on the ura. There is a kirikomi one the ura visible in this oshigata.
The Rai school, also known as Kyoto or Kyo, was founded by Kuniyuki, the son of Awataguchi Kuniyoshi, around Bunei (1268 - 1276). The was followed by Niji Kunitoshi, Rai Kunitoshi, Rai Kunimitsu, Rai Kunitsugu, etc.
Rai Kunimitsu was active in later Kamakura. He made many tanto, but few tachi. Some of his tachi resemble Kuniyuki or Niji Kunitoshi. However, Kuniyuki produced bluish steel and Niji Kunitoshi's blades have a black cast.
Kunimitsu occasionally produced swords in the old sugata, resembling tachi of the Heian or early Kamakura periods, however, generally his swords have a grander feeling. As would reflect his time, his boshi are larger than those of his predecessors. Suguba is his most commonly used hamon pattern, though frequently mixed with gunome choji midare. Rai jigane is not as prevalent as it was in the earlier Rai smiths.
Rai Kunimitsu swords exhibit some of the characteristics of what would later become the Soshu school.
There is sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro of the NBTHK noting that the sword is Juyo Token and the additional important qualitative notation, chinchin chocho (especially precious treasure - doubled for emphasis). Rated Sai Josaku by Fujishiro in Nihon Toko Jiten, Koto Hen.