Bonhams
Lot 46
A WAKIZASHI (SHORT SWORD) WITH LACQUER MOUNTSBy Yasutsugu, Edo Period (1615-1868), 17th/18th centuryThe blade of shinogi-zukuri form with torii-zori, chu-gissaki, and iori-mune, notare-ha of nie and nioi, itame-hada, komaru-boshi, the omote side with a horimono (carved image) of Fudo Myo-o wielding a sword and surrounded by flames, the ura side carved with a bonji (Sanskrit character) and suken (double-edged straight sword), the ubu-nakago with one mekugi-ana, signed Nanban tetsu o motte Echizen Yasutsugu, Bushu Edo ni oite kore o saku (Echizen Yasutsugu made this at Edo in Musashi Province using Nanban iron) and a carved mitsuba aoi mon (triple-hollyhock crest), in shirasaya (plain wood scabbard); the saya (scabbard) lacquered black with densely-sprinkled aogai nashiji (sprinkled mother-of-pearl) and inlaid with small flying birds of shell, the tsuba (sword guard) shakudo with inlaid gilt floral details, signed Furukawa Genchin with a kao, fuchigashira (matching hilt collar and pommel), menuki (paired hilt ornaments), kogai (skewer), and kozuka (knife handle) also shakudo with inlaid gilt floral details, the kogatana gilt-bronze with bonji, the kurikata (knob for tying cord), kojiri (scabbard tip), kaeshizuno (hook to secure scabbard) of gilt-metal nanako ('fish-roe' dot pattern). The saya: 72cm (28 1/4in) long; the blade: 50.2cm (19 3/4in) long. (2).Footnotes:日本江戶時代，十七/十八世紀 康繼作 黑漆包鞘打刀Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏The Yasutsugu School of swordsmiths served the Tokugawa Shoguns for generations throughout the Edo period (1615-1868). The first-generation Yasutsugu, originally named Shimosaka, initially worked in Echizen Province (Fukui Prefecture), where he entered the service of Matsudaira Hideyasu (1574-1607), third son of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), and lord of the domain.Shimosaka went on to serve Shoguns Ieyasu and Hidetada in Edo (Tokyo), receiving the character 'Yasu' in his name from Ieyasu, henceforth known as Yasutsugu. He was also granted permission to sign his swords with the Tokugawa-clan hollyhock crest, a carved mitsuba aoi mon, present on this lot.The first and second generation Yasutsugu were well known for the bold horimono (carving) on their blades. By forging broader swords, they were able to carve larger, more intricate designs on the surface without compromising the strength of the blade. This novel change led to the shift to more decorative horimono, more typically seen in swords of the Edo period. For an example of a sword with a plum branch and bamboo horimono by Yasutsugu I, see M. Ogawa, ed., Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009, p.182, no.103.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
