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Katana
Fukuoka Ichimonji (NBTHK Juyo-token)

japanese sword gallery germany

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

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