Fujiwara Yoshikuni Osaka Shinto?

[pcfarrar]

I recently picked up this katana signed Fujiwara Yoshikuni. It appears to be an Osaka Shinto blade and the shape suggests 1650ish.

 

The hamon is a big o choji midare and is nie based with a great deal of activity in it.

Hawleys lists a load of Yoshikuni's working in the 17th century. None appear to sign just Fujiwara Yoshikuni. My Yoshikuni doesnt match any of the oshigata's in Kanzan or Fujishiro.

 

Anyone have any idea which Yoshikuni this might be?

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

[sencho]

just getting Peter's post back to the front of the line here.....

 

cheers

[pcfarrar]

Sorry for the rubbish pictures but these are the best I can get. This shows the monouchi of the blade which has distinct mushroom shaped choji with lots of sunagashi running between the heads. It is the same on both sides. The nioguchi is very wide and is lined with tons of ko-nie very similar to a 2nd gen tadahiro wak I have. There is masame hada running through the hamon. The blade also has a short sugu yakidashi on both sides.

 

The only smith I can find who seems a possible match is a Fujiwara Yoshikuni working in Mino around 1650. Anyone have a oshigata of this guy I can compare with.

 

 

[kusunokimasahige]

Nice! will you have it polished?

 

KM

[pcfarrar]

I've got a Sukesada to get polished first but as soon as that's done I'll put this one in.

 

Should be good when polished I hope. It has a very distinctive hamon and not one you see too often which was why I bought it!

[Yoshii]

Hi Peter,

So far as i can see teh period your sword was made in is Kanbun Shinto, not the 1650's but 1661 - 1673.

I don't know which smith it is but perhaps you could look into hawley.