[Katana no Kura] Bizen Yoshitsugu 備前国住吉次, JuBi from Imperial Household (1946)

[Gabriel L]

Spotted this today: https://katananokura.jp/SHOP/1903-K01.html

• Bizen no kuni jū Yoshitsugu 備前国住吉次 orikaeshi-mei 折返銘 (folded back mei). Late Kamakura 鎌倉時代後期.
• Juyo Bijutsuhin (Important Art Object, 国指定重要美術品) & Hon'ami Kōjō origami (本阿弥光常折紙).
• In shirasaya with kinkise niju gold habaki.
• Remarkably, with a 1946 license (Gunma registration 群馬県登録) to possess this sword, granted to the Imperial Household Museum care of "Shozaburo Inoue". I've never seen such a document before.

The book excerpt quoted in the description, and other notes, are beyond my ability to make sense of via Google Translate. Maybe someone else can comment?
 

本作は折返銘にて「備前国住吉次」の六字銘を有する太刀で、作風は備前気質に青江風が加わる作域を示します。

系統については銘文の言い回しや「次」の字を使用する点、及び焼刃に楔形の陰の尖り刃を交え、帽子が丸く短く返る等の作風から、雲生・雲次等と同族の鎌倉時代後期に活躍した「雲類」に属する鍛冶と推察されます。

 

紀州徳川家［五十六万石］徳川宗直の差料として伝来した名作の一振りです。

尚、重要美術品指定には、古備前吉次として指定されています。

 

地刃共に健全。

• nagasaa: 70.5cm
• sori: 1.7cm
• motohaba: 2.81cm
• sakihaba: 2.20cm
• kasane: 0.53cm

Price: 20,00,000 JPY (~$178,000).

I've been burned by linking to Katana no Kura in the past, only to have them lock the page behind a password (presumably once the sword is purchased). So I've made a mirror gallery of the images at Imgur here: https://imgur.com/a/rTQNkaC.

I will also upload a few choice photos for immediate gratification:

 

[ChrisW]

This is seemingly inconceivable how this blade could have came to be.

[Brian]

Look at post #62 here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/27931-bigs-discoveries/page-3
Peter's important document has some fascinating info on the post war sword ban. Page 121 onwards has info I have not read before, and some very interesting history. Seems there were ongoing efforts to preserve important swords early on.
Anyways, interesting sword and paperwork Gabe. More links in the chain.

[Blazeaglory]

Up close, the hada on that one is amazing