A SUPERB KANEIYE SCHOOL SUNOBI KOTO TANTO WITH DAIMYO KOSHIRAE AND SHIRASAYA
By the Kaneiye School, signed KaneiyeJapan, Koto, 1570, late Muromachi period (1336-1573)Accompanied by Kanteisho (Genuine Swords) authentication papers from the NBHTK.The blade:Hira-zukuri with mokume hada appearing like wood burls. The hamon is gunome midare with nie deki, tobiyaki and yubashiri. Ara nie, large martensite particles, within the hamon and the mune. The niji (two-character) mei reads KANEIYE. Higaki-yasurime, a fence-like file pattern, can be found on the nakago.The mounting:The daimyo koshirae was crafted between the Muromachi and Momoyama periods, between 1580 and 1600. The black lacquered saya shows large gold lacquer kirimons, the mon of the Toyotomi clan. The kozuka is made from shakudo and shows carved kanji characters on the blade in commemoration of the master swordsmith Shizu Saburo Kaneuji, founder of the Mino tradition. The excellent handle is decorated with gold karashishi amidst clouds. The handle is made from shark skin and shows the same gold kirimons as menuki. With a modern sword stand and a fine inscribed shirasaya to store the blade.NAGASA 31.75 cm, WIDTH AT HILT 3.17 cm, WIDTH AT TIP 2.99 cmCondition: The koshirae is in excellent condition. The blade is in superb condition and is in an excellent state of preservation.Provenance: Important samurai art from an Austrian private collection – Lots (31 – 39) are from an Austrian private collection, assembled with great knowledge and care, as all the objects are in a superior state of preservation. The collection most prominently features three Koto swords, no. 31 is listed as a Juyo Token (= important work).