Superb early Nanbokucho Yamato Shikkake wakizashi circa 1340s with strong feeling of early Norinaga work. The blade has a beautiful flowing itame-hada with thick intertwined chikei and areas of yubashiri, as mentioned by Tanobe-sensei in his sayagaki below. Like many Norinaga, there are elements of juzuba style gunome mixed with midare. In shirasaya with niju kinkise habaki and Tanobe-sensei sayagaki. There are two old umegane inlays which are shown in the detail photos below. Now available, please message me directly with any questions.

$4,250 + shipping

Tanobe Sayagaki

和州尻懸

大磨上無銘也ガ刃寄リニ流レイ地鐵ヲ見セ中直刃ホツレノ刃文ヲ焼き指表二連レタ互乃目ガ交ジリ沸良付く湯走二重刃カノク帽子結プナド南北朝初期ノ同派ト鑒セラレ優品

長壹尺七寸七分

探山識

Washu (Yamato) Shikkake

Although this blade has been greatly shortened and unsigned (ō-suriage mumei), it reveals a flowing jigane leaning toward the ha. It shows a fine chū-suguha with hotsure. On the omote side, a sequence of gunome mixes together, with well-applied nie. There is also yubashiri, nijūba, kanokobōshi, and other features. These characteristics are consistent with the early Nanbokuchō period works of this same school. This is a excellent piece of work.

Nagasa (blade length): 1 shaku 7 sun 7 bu (approx. 53.6 cm)

Signed by: Tanzan (探山識)