Japanese Sword Online Museum

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Katana Masterpiece

Katana: Tenpo 11 Kano Ne 12 Gatsu Oite To-to Koyama Munetsugu (cutting test)

2017/01/28

Katana in Shirasaya with Koshriae(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Paper)

Signature : Ko-Shu Yamagami Han Yagi Masayoshi Oujyu
Tenpo 11 Kano Ne 12 Gatsu Oite To-to Koyama Munetsugu Saku kore.
Do-Nen 10gatsu 13Hi Oite Sejyu Tamesu No Dotanbarai Kirite Yamada Gonzaburo
Do 15 Nen shigatsu 5 hi oite Do-syo tamesu No Ryo-sya Dotanbarai Kirite Do-Jin.

Explaneation: Masayasu Yagi ordered this sword who belonged to Yamagami domain Kosyu province.
Tenpo 11 year December at Touto Koyama Munetsugu Saki No.
same year Tenpo 11th, October 13th At Senjyu cutting test was done Dotan barai cutting tester Yamada Gonzaburo.
Tenpo 15th April 5th at the same place cutting test was done Ryosya Dotanbarai same cutting tesrer.

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword Koyama Munetsugu belongs to Saijyo saku (The top)ranking.
shinshinto:Jyojyo saku ranking: Musashi.
The blade was polished by highest ranking polisher.
Habaki :gold foiled double habaki.
Blade length : 71.8 cm or 28.26 inches.
Sori : 1.86 cm or 0.73 inches.
Mekugi :  2
Width at the hamachi : 3.28cm or 1.29 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 2.38 cm or 0.93 inches.
Kasane : 0.76 cm or 0.29 inches.
Era : Late Edo Tenpo era.
Shape : The blade is wide and thick with deep sori and long kissaki nice looking shape.
Jigane : Itame hada well grained with jinie attach and chikei work.
Hamon : Niedeki gunome midare and cyoji midare mixed with jinie attach and chikei work. From Monouchi area to Kissaki has many Kinsuji work.
Boshi is midarekomi style.

Special feature : First generation Bizen no suke Munetsugu (Koyama Munetugu )
was born at Mutsu Shirakawa province as a son of Koyama Munehira.
His name was Soubei.
He was working for Matudaira Daimyo family as a sword making Samurai.
He moved to Kuwana province with his master and then he moved to
Edo Tenpo 2 nd year.At that time he had high reputation of cut well
swords maker. some times we found his swords which was done
Saidanmei and also possession name on the tang of the blade.
Generally speaking the quality of Munetsugu is one of the top sword
smith in late Edo period and without any faults among his swords.
His reputation was very high because his skill is quite high
I have never seen worst one.
His subjects are overwhelmingly Gunome midare hamon and midarekomi boshi.
The sword are very similar with Cyounsai Tsunatoshi.
The differences of these swords are Tsunatoshi' s gunome midare devided 2 and round boshi but Munetsugu make midarekomi boshi style.
If the round shaped boshi, you should doubt the signature.
Munetsugu of brother Koyama Munehira, Munetoshi are almost same hamon and jigane.
He had to stop business making swords, by Haitorei.(decree banning the wearing of swords)
This sword is very healthy without Kizu and flow.
The blade has 2 cutting test were done by Yamada Gonzaburo and also ordered name by Yagi Masakame Yamagami cran Kosyu.
I think the blade might upgrade to Jyuyo Token.
We recommend this sword for you.

Koshirae :
Tsuba : Iron Tsuba with gold color.
Menuki : dragon is engraved with gold color.
Fuchikashira : Shakudo plane, fan? and person are engraved with gold color.
Saya : blue shell with black line.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata.

Price : 4,000,000 JPY-


-Katana, Masterpiece