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KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380) A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century image 1
KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380) A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century image 2
KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380) A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century image 3
KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380) A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century image 4
KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380) A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century image 5
KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380) A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century image 6
KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380) A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century image 7
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Lot 158

KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380)
A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts
Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century

Amended
26 October 2022, 10:00 EDT
New York

Sold for US$113,775 inc. premium

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KASHŪ SANEKAGE (ACTIVE CIRCA 1340-1380)

A Jūyō-ranked Katana with Mounts
Nanbokuchō era (1336-1392), mid-14th century
Sugata (configuration): honzukuri, iorimune normal mihaba with a shallow sori and chūgissaki
Kitae (forging pattern): prominent itame hada mixed with mokume hada of copious jinie and chikei, producing a blackish hue to the hada
Hamon (tempering pattern): konotare of nie with a soft nioiguchi mixed with
gunome, togariba, ko-ashi, some nie-kuzure, hotsure, yubashiri, kinsuji, and much sunagashi
Bōshi (tip): sugu with a komaru, kaeri and much hakikake at the tip
Horimono (carving): bohi on both sides running into the tang
Nakago (tang): ōsuriage, kiri-jiri with gently slanting katte-sagari file marks and three holes (two plugged)
Habaki (collar):
Nagasa (length from tip to beginning of tang): 26 1/8in (66.3cm)
Motohaba (width at start of tempered edge): 1 1/16in (2.65cm)
Sakihaba (width before tip): 3/4in (1.9cm)
In a shirasaya (wood storage scabbard) inscribed in black lacquer Nakagawa Sadamune and Soshu no ju Sadamune saku
The koshira-e comprising a later black-lacqeur saya fitted with a shakudō nanako kozuka and kōgai decorated with coiling dragons in gold and shakudō takazōgan, the tsuka wrapped in black silk and fitted with gilt menuki formed as dragons, and shakudō migaki-ji fuchi-gashira decorated withdragons in clouds in iro-e takazōgan, the iron circular tsuchime-ji tsuba decorated with writing brushes, ink sticks, pine trees, gabions, and a dragon in takabori, shishiaibori and gold nunomezōgan

Footnotes

Provenance
Nakagawa Hidenari (1570-1612), and thence by descent, till the Meiji era (purported)

It is believed that Kashū Sanekage was a student of Etchū Norishige. However, based on a review of extant dated works by Norishige from the Shōwa (1312-1317) and Gen'ō (1319-1321) eras, and those by Sanekage from the Jōji era (1362-1368), it appears that there is a too large a gap between the active periods of the two smiths for a master-student relationship. It is more likely that Sanekage was indirectly influenced by Norishige and his style. This blade shows a rather large structured and prominent itame that features plenty of jinie and much chikei. The steel is somewhat blackish and the hamon is a ni-laden ko-notare that is mixed with gunome, togariba, ko-ashi, some nie-kuzure, kinsuji, and plenty of sunagashi. The blackish steel in particular reflects the characteristics of northern blades (Hokkoku-mono), and with the prominent nie within the ha and habuchi and the rather subdued nioiguchi, an attribution to Kashū Sanekage is most appropriate. Both ji and ha are perfectly healthy and the deki is excellent, showing, as indicated, the characteristic features of this smith. This blade was an heirloom of the Nakagawa family, the daimyō of the Oka fief in Bungo province, during the Edo period.

Saleroom notices

Please note that this sword was designated as a Jūyō Tōken (Important Sword) no. 11638 as issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai (Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword) on October 9, 2003.

Additional information

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