Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Minamoto Masao NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper

Description: Welcome to eBay Samurai Museum Shop in Tokyo Title:Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Minamoto Masao NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate Free Shipping to: USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed Included: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Mounting, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Full Exportation Support Delivery Date: 1.0-1.5 month after you place an order *There might be delay in shipment depending on countries CategoryKatana ( SHIN SHIN TO)Age6th year of the Ansei era (1859)SwordsmithMinamoto Masao (源正雄)CertificateNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon CertificateLocationEzo province (Today’s Hokkaido prefecture)Blade SizeCutting Edge Length: 70.5 cm (27.7 inches)Curvature: 2.0 cm (0.79 inches) 【Description】 Summary This blade was signed by Minamoto Masao (源正雄) in the 6th year of the Ansei era (1859: the end of the Edo period). The signature also says that this blade was made for Nishino Minamoto Suketoshi (西野源祐寿). He forged this blade in Ezochi, which is the old name of today’s Hokkaido. He used iron sand produced in the area. Masao is ranked as a top-tier swordsmith at the end of the Edo period. Masao’s birth name was Suzuki Jiro (鈴木次郎). He was born in Mino province (Today’s Gifu prefecture). He was famous for being the best apprentice of Minamoto Kiyomaro (源清麿), one of the most renowned swordsmiths at the end of the Edo period. Masao was trusted by Kiyomaro so much that he sometimes did a Daisaku for Kiyomaro. Daisaku is a regular act where an apprentice or a child of the swordsmith signs his master’s name with his master’s permission or forges a blade on behalf of the master. That means that his master highly acknowledged Kunitomo’s craftsmanship. That is also why there aren’t many remaining blades signed by Masao, who dedicated his career to helping his master. It is said that Masao became an independent swordsmith in the 6th year of the Ka-Ei era (1853). He first resided in Okachimachi, Edo (today’s Tokyo). It is worth noting the rarity of Masao’s work in Hokkaido, given his short stay there. In the 5th year of the Ansei era (1857), Masao was invited by Matsumae domain, a direct retainer of Tokugawa Shogunate located on today’s Hokkaido island. During that time, the Edo government was building Goryokaku (五稜郭), the star-shaped fortress in Hakodate city, and opening an iron factory that used iron sand from Hakodate. We assume the government needed Masao’s skills to ensure the quality of the steel Hakodate produced. He served Matsumae domain exclusively, dedicating his skills to the domain. His stay in Hokkaido was just about three years. His return to Edo after finishing his task in Hokkaido marked the end of a unique chapter in his career. Overall, his active period was only 12 years (1853-1866). The Background History Japan enjoyed a relatively peaceful time from the early Edo period to the mid-Edo period(the 1600s-1760s) because of the stable economy and the powerful government run by Tokugawa Shogun. Samurai didn’t have many opportunities to utilize his Katana sword in public or on battlefields during this time. Thus, they carried their swords more as a symbol of their social status. The demand for weapons decreased accordingly compared to the previous Warring state period called Sengoku Jidai (1467-1600). As the end of the Edo period(1764-1876) approached, the Japanese sword’s role underwent a dramatic transformation. With the spread of poverty in Japan and the ensuing civil unrest, the sword became a crucial tool in maintaining public safety, a stark contrast to its symbolic role in the earlier, more peaceful periods. The mounting pressure from foreign countries to open Japanese borders, coupled with internal strife, forced the Samurai to order swords that not only served as symbols of their status but also as practical tools for survival. Many swordsmiths, including Masao, dedicated their efforts to forging high-quality, practical blades for their masters, preparing for the battles that seemed inevitable in those tumultuous times.There was a civil war between Tokugawa’s military government and the new Meiji government at the end of the Edo period. That means the original owner of this Katana might have seen the moment when Samurai’s life changed forever. This blade has a strong looking and must have been practical to use in that demanding time. It is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token(特別保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK(Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). This authentication paper was only given to authentic Japanese swords, especially well preserved and high quality with artistic value.【 Blade】Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)： 70.5 cm (27.7 inches)Curvature(Sori)：2.0 cm (0.79 inches) Hamon ：The crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process Jimon ：visible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process Kissaki: Kissaki is the tip of the Japanese sword. This blade has a distinctive Hada on the Kissaki. It is called Masame Hada. Masame (柾目) means straight grain in Japanese, which is often seen in the work of Hosho school. Masame Hada is the Japanese sword terminology for the Hada (steel surface pattern of the Japanese sword) that looks like straight grain when one cuts a tree in half.And it usually is combined with Itame Hada, another grain pattern that looks like wood-grain seen in the Japanese sword. Nakago ：Nakago is the tang of the Japanese sword. Japanese swordsmiths left the black rust on the tang because it prevents red rust while the tang is in its handle. And the discoloration of the tang was created over time, and it is a great indicator for a Japanese sword specialist to estimate when the sword was forged. Koshirae: Koshirae is the mounting of the Japanese sword. There are several parts that consist of Koshirae such as Saya(Scabbard), Tsuka(Handle), Tsuba(Handguard). The theme of the Tsuba, Fuchi Kashira, Menuki and Kojiri is Gosan-no-Kiri (五三の桐) . The Kiri pattern generally comprises three standing straight inflorescences and three leaves. The number of blooming flowers at each inflorescence means the ranks of this design. The Gosan-no-Kiri (五三の桐) pattern is a popular design that the paulownia motif is used. According to tradition, the Houou (鳳凰, Fenghuang) rests its wings at the paulownia tree; therefore, it has come to be regarded as a holy plant. Cherry blossom is one of the seasonal things of spring, and Japanese people have appreciated this plant for a long time. A theory says that the god of grain exists in cherry blossoms. Therefore, this flower pattern has been treated as the symbol of a plentiful harvest. The Karakusa pattern is a design in which vine stems and leaves are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. Fuchi-Kashira : A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt. Tsuka and Menuki : Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration. Tsuba and Habaki : Tsuba is the handguard for the Japanese Sword and Habaki is the equipment to make the blade not touch its scabbard inside. It prevents the blade from getting rusty and chipped.Saya: Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword. Authentication Paper：NBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 1017259) NBTHK, also known as Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai (the Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword), is one of the oldest Japanese sword appraising organizations in modern-day Japan. They authenticated the blade on March 2nd in the 4th year of Reiwa (2022). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society. The purchaser will receive this original certificate as well.Registration Number :Aichi 26233 The Board of Education in Fukuoka prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword . It is called Jyu Token Rui Torokusho(銃刀剣類登録証). Bunkacho(The Agency for Cultural Affairs) acknowledges a Japanese sword with this paper as a work of art.The sword needs to be traditionally hand-forged and made of Tamahagane carbon steel to be registered in the system. With this paper, its owner in Japan can legally own an authentic Japanese sword. Based on this registration number, we will apply for its export permit.This paper will need to be returned to the board of education when the sword is being shipped abroad, but you can receive a copy of it. An English translation of this registration paper is available on request. About us Samurai Museum has been dealing with antique Japanese swords and other antique item since 2016 and started to sell items on eBay in December, 2019. We have shipped more than 600 antique Japanese swords to USA, France, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Germany from our museum shop. For more info ,CLICK HERE. Antique Japanese Sword and Export process The antique Japanese swords we deal with on eBay are hand-forged edged swords, which are at least 150 years old or older. Each Japanese sword is registered under the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Board of Education in Japan. They issue a registration paper for each Japanese sword for the owner in Japan to legally possess it. After receiving the full payment from you, we will return the registration paper to the Board of Education and apply for its permit to Agency for Cultural Affairs(Bunkacho) to legally export the sword from Japan to other countries. It normally takes around 2-4 weeks months to receive this permit. And we would like you to expect at least 1-1.5 months for your order to arrive at your given address after you ordered. Shipping We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany and France. If you don't live in these countries and like to order, please contact us first before making a purchase. We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can send antique Japanese swords by EMS.We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office. We will put 100 % insurance on the shipping document without any extra charge. Based on the total amount, there might be a duty tax for you to pay, depending on the countries. We use package cushioning to protect the item and put it in a PVC pipe, which is one of the most secure packages because of its durability. It will normally takes 5-14 days for the item to arrive at your given address after we dispatch it. Time of delivery is estimated as accurately as possible by the carrier but does not take into account any delays beyond our control such as by inclement weather, post office holiday seasons.Payment Please complete the transaction via your preferred payment method. After confirming the payment from you, we will apply for an export permit. Payment needs to be completed within 72 hours of your purchase. If the payment is not made by the buyer for 4 days without contacting us, we will reach eBay to relist the item. Terms Condition Please note that your use of e-bay is governed by the following terms. These Terms are between you and Samurai Museum and govern our respective rights and obligations.Items posted on eBay page are supposed to be shipped to the USA, Canada , France Hong Kong or Mexico. If you are ordering from those countries, we offer you free shipping. You are responsible for paying all customs fees and your local taxes. Please check your domestic law to confirm if it is allowed to import antique Japanese swords before making any purchase. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to buy Japanese swords. Samurai Museum will not be responsible if one harms others or hurts oneself by misusing the items he or she purchased from us. We deal with original edged samurai swords, which might be dangerous if wrongly used. Samurai Museum is not responsible for any lost package that is incorrectly addressed due to customer error. We make our shipping labels based on the information a customer provides, If you register your address incorrectly, you are bound to inform us immediately. Please also bear in mind that damage or loss caused by custom or post office is beyond our control. If the item were lost or damaged by the shipping carrier(EMS), they would compensate for your damage. Please contact us immediately in this case. Shipping from Tokyo Japan Thank you for checking our item. TO CHECK MORE ANTIQUE JAPANESE SWORDS FOR SALE Copyright © 2024 Samurai Museum. All rights reserved.

Price: 36500 USD

Location: Shinjuku

End Time: 2024-08-16T12:25:48.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD