Katana
Fukuoka Ichimonji (NBTHK Juyo-token)
The katana offered here is an absolute masterpiece of the Fukuoka Ichimonji forging art of the middle Kamakura period from the 13th century.
Up for sale is a stunning katana, the mumei (unsigned) Ichimonji (Fukuoka) from the middle Kamakura period, 13th century.
This sword is in the shinogi-zukuri form, with a blade length of 27 inches (68.4 cm) and a chu-kissaki tip. The boshi, or temper line, is a notare-komi with a ko-maru-kaeri on both sides and hakikake. The sori, or curvature of the blade, is 0.94 inches (2.4 cm).
The nakago, or tang, of the sword has been shortened (o-suriage) and has 8 mekugi-ana, or holes, with 3 being sealed with lead. The sword has a width of 1.08 inches (2.75 cm) at the hamachi and 0.79 inches (2 cm) at the kissaki. The mune, or back of the blade, is an iori-mune and the kasane, or thickness of the blade, is 0.28 inches (0.7 cm).
The kitae, or forging pattern, is a dense itame with midare-utzuri, while the hamon, or temper line, is a choji-midare mixed with kawazu no ko-choji and gunome, with ashi and yo, a thick nioiguchi and sunagashi. The sword weighs approximately 1.54 pounds (700 g).
This sword has been certified as Juyo (20th session) by the NBTHK in 1971, and was described as a masterpiece of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school of the middle Kamakura period with excellent and magnificent deki by Tanobe sensei in the year of the sheep (2003). The sword comes with a shira-saya mounting and the price is available upon request.
Illustrated in "Swords of the Nihonto Club Germany" by Markus Sesko 2011, BoD GmbH, ISBN 978-3-8423-3868-5