Listing a wonderful gendaito by Chikuzen Yoshimasa. This seems to be a very rare smith, and I have only seen one other Yoshimasa (which happens to be owned by a collector here in Miami as well). It is interesting as a reference example, as it may show a continuation of the Chikuzen Yoshimasa lineage into modern times. In the past, the Chikuzen Yoshimasa were an offshoot of Yamashiro Nobukuni that continued into Muromachi and Edo periods. This sword clearly shows roots in the Yamashiro-den. It appears to have been done as utushimono of Yamashiro Rai. The jihada is a very fine ko-itame with thick ji-nie. The hamon is a suguha with broad nioiguchi, and thick, deep nie (very much in the style of Rai Kunimitsu, which appears to have been its model). The blade has an extensive four column inscription which I have added below. In shirasaya with gold foil habaki. A beautiful sword and one which would make a great addition to a gendai collection.

 

Inscription:

  • Zo Nisshu-jihen no tame kore o tsukuru kogun – Made as a gift for the imperial armed forces of the Sino-Japanese conflict
  • Akiyama Chozaburo – Owner’s name
  • Shokoku (no) ken Chikuzen Karakuyanoseki ju
  • Yoshimasa kinsaku – Sword for the protection of the fatherland: carefully made by Yoshimasa in Karakuyanoseki, Chikuzen
    Showa ju ni nen ju gatsu kichi jitsu – on an auspicious day in the 10th month of the 12th year of Showa (1937)

Dimensions:

  • nagasa: 69cm
  • motohaba: 33mm
  • sakihaba: 24mm
  • kasane: 6mm

More details…

SKU: KATANA0022-10-10-1-2 Category:

Description

Gendaito are traditionally made modern Japanese swords forged from swordsmiths working after the Meiji period. Some references categorize gendaito as swords made after the end of the Meiji, including only the Taisho, Showa, Heisei and Reiwa eras. Those swords categorized as gendaito were made using fully-traditional methods, including a heat treatment in water, rather than oil, and using tamahagane (traditional Japanese iron) as the base material for their work. Tamahagane is made from satetsu (iron sand) and put through a smelting process in an tatara (clay furnace) for up to 72 hours to produce a quality iron for the forging process.

Those swordsmiths who were approved to forge gendaito during WWII were designated Rikugen Jumei Tosho. While for many years Showa period blades were overlooked, a number of exhibitions such as the first showing of Yasukuni-to, demonstrated the high level of craftsmanship exhibited in these swords. Some are extraordinarily impressive examples modelled on classical works (koto utushimono of smiths such as the Bizen Nagamitsu and the Ichimonji school). The schools of Miyairi Akihira, Gassan Sadakazu, Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu and others are especially famed for their quality of work and produced swords that are regarded today as exemplary examples that can be compared favorably with the swords of earlier time periods.

This Yoshimasa katana is a good example of a high quality gendaito made using traditional methods by one of the most skillful smiths of the time period.