Study/Kantei: Sōshū-den Wakizashi (Hiromitsu / Akihiro circle?)

[SwordStudent703]

Hi everyone,

 

I wanted to share a fascinating piece I recently acquired and open it up to the board for discussion, and insights regarding potential attribution.

The blade appears to be a classic mid-14th-century Nanbokucho tachi that has been shortened to wakizashi. It carries some prominent, active characteristics of Sōshū-den workmanship. I am preparing the blade for a full appraisal route and hope to eventually submit it for Shinsa – any information posted will not be used for commercial purposes. I would deeply appreciate your views on the smith/circle before taking the next steps.

 

Key Blade Dimensions & Characteristics:

• Total length: 635 mm. Nagasa: 493 mm. Nakago: 142 mm.
• Yasurime: katte sagari.
• Sori: 15.4 mm, Torii-zori.
• Motokasane: 5.4 mm. Sakikasane: 5 mm.
• Motohaba: 28.3 mm. Sakihaba: 17.7 mm.
• Kissaki length: 28.5 mm, chu-kissaki with rounded fukura.
• Mune: Iori-mune, gentle oroshi.
• Hamon: Suguha-notare mix with nie-deki (ara-nie).
• Hataraki: sunagashi, kinsuji, jinie, chikei, uchino-ke.
• Hitatsura: The hitatsura and tobiyaki clouds blanket the shinogi-ji. (Looking at Kōkan Nagayama’s criteria in The Connoisseur’s Book, this steers me away from branch like Hasebe and locks the focus onto mainline Sōshū masters.)
• Hada: itame & mokume mix with nie-fushimi.
• Boshi: komaru.
• Hamon/Hitatsura: Deepl full-body hitatsura. In the middle sections of the nagasa, the temper tracks in a wave. However, as it approaches the kisaki, it becomes tobiyaki clouds. The boshi displays o-kaeri that engulfs the tip.

 

The blade was shortened, but the top portion of a long-form signature remains. The location marker is cleanly legible and reads: Sagami Koku Junin... Directly below the Nin character under raking light, we can see the cler remnants of the subsequent character's initial chisel paths. I have taken specific close-ups of this area. To my eye, they do not form a flat, rectangular top cap. Instead, there are two deep, diagonal troughs slanting from right to left. This looks consistent with the left-sweeping "roof" radical of Hiro, pointing toward Hiromitsu. Alternatively, given the ō-kaeri loop of the bōshi, I am also considering the left-hand "grain" radical of Akihiro. I am uploading photos of the flowing grain above the habaki, the wave-to-cloud hitatsura, a kitae-ware lamination opening in the ji, and close-ups of the nakago chisel marks. I would love to get your thoughts. Do you see this as a viable Hiromitsu/Akihiro, or is there another contender I should be cross-referencing? Thank you all in advance for your time, your scholarship, and your insights!

 

Best regards,

 

SwordStudent703

 

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by SwordStudent703
photos

[Rivkin]

Zoom out a bit + overall view.

[SwordStudent703]

Photos of the Hitatsura:

 

Edited 2 hours ago by SwordStudent703

[SwordStudent703]

Photos of the Mei:

[SwordStudent703]

Sorry here's some photos of it overall:

[Bugyotsuji]

相模国住人久義

Have you considered?

(Totally off the wall but simply looking at those strokes…)

[SwordStudent703]

8 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

相模国住人久義

Have you considered?

Hisayoshi is an ingenious suggestion! Thanks Bugyotsuji. My thoughts are that the blade came from a Nanbokucho tachi, I am reading that two Soshu-den Hisayoshi’s worked in the Muromachi, and later Shinto eras. So, chronologically it might not fit, unless I’m wrong about the Nanbokucho tachi. Hence my focus is on Nanbokucho smiths. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your thoughts though

[Jussi Ekholm]

I am currently on train so I cannot write too long post. However as the sword seems to be 49 cm in current form and would seem to have long portion of the mei intact, I would guess it would have been under 60 cm blade originally.

[Rivkin]

Yeap, that's Edo period. Don't want to judge whether this is the listed Soshu Hisayoshi, but it can be shinshinto soshu. 

[YourBabyBjornBorg]

This sword has its Mei on the Sashiomote side (usually seen on Uchigatana and Wakizashi, with many, many exceptions), and Hachou (length of the blade part) being undoubtedly under 60cm originally, makes this very likely a Katateuchi (if this is Muromachi) or a Wakizashi, not in any way a Tachi, unfortunately. (Kodachi's Hachou are usually originally under 60cm, but again have their Mei on the Hakiomote, though there are exceptions, too, like this Norifusa.)

 

 

Being very ignorant in Kantei Kanshou to begin with, my two cents are this is more Muromachi, if that, than Nanbokuchou. Ookissaki alone may not be enough.

[SwordStudent703]

That’s a great point Jussi. However, Hiromitsu and Akihiro signed high up on the nakago, almost near the handle collar. Also, when the blade was shortened the shoulders were moved further up. The size of the kissaki, and the overall shape and dimensions leans to it being a cut down tachi, rather than a ko-wakizashi. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts while on the train 😝