TOSA TADAKUNI (TOSHIHIDE)

Shinshinto Katana by Tosa Tadakuni. .  Real name, Kariya Tadakuni.  In the year 1800, he began studying with the famous Shinshinto master Suishinsei Masahide. At this time he changed his name to Toshihide. He is the same as Toshihide TOS304 & TOS305. 

This sword is dated December 1799, which would indicate he forged this sword either right before or at the beginning of his time under the tutelage of Masahide. 

This sword exhibits a few small areas of loose hada, but nothing fatal or that would have prevented it from receiving papers. Nor is there anything obstructive or detrimental to the overall presentation.  The polish is good but not pristine. There is an abundance of activity which is clearly seen for study (see photos). There are profuse clouds of ji-nie throughout the hada/hamon along with ashi and sunagashi. The sword has a very nice tori-zori sugata or shape.  Kissaki is chu kissaki, the boshi is ko-maru with no turn back and there is hakikake. The nakago is ubu with one mekugi ana. The habaki and shirasaya are the works of Brian T’s and are top rate as are all of his works.

Please note: This sword looks 100 times better in hand the the photos depict.  This is a result of  the lighting reflecting off every little area of loose grain, no matter how small.  Most of these tiny areas are not even noticeable in hand yet makes this type sword very difficult to photograph (see photos).  (see policy page).

This sword comes with a 75 pt. Kanteisho from the NTHK-NPO. 

Below are entires for both of this smiths mei from Sesko’s, Index of Japanese Swordsmiths.

TADAKUNI (忠国), Kansei (寛政, 1789-1801), Tosa – “Doshū-jū Kariya Tadakuni” (土州住刈谷忠国)

TOSHIHIDE (寿秀), 1st gen., Bunka (文化, 1804-1818), Tosa – “Doshū Kariya Tadakuni” (土州刈谷忠国), “Doshū-jū Kariya Toshihide” (土州住刈谷寿秀), “Shikōshi Toshihide” (紫虹子寿秀), “Nagao Toshihide saku” (永尾寿秀作), he signed first with Tadakuni (忠国) and bore at that time the real name Kariya Tadatsugu (刈谷忠次, the first name also reads Chūji), later he changed his real name to Nagao Udayū (永尾宇太夫) and studied in Kansei twelve (寛政, 1800) uder Suishinshi Masahide (水心子正秀) whereupon he changed his name to Toshihide, he returned to Tosa in the second year of Bunka (1805), gō Shikōshi (紫虹子), he also worked in Shimotsuke, we know date signatures from the eleventh year of Kansei (1799) to the sixth year of Bunsei (文政, 1823), suguha, notare, gunome, chūjō- saku

Price:  $5500 plus S/H

REDUCED 25% NOW: $4125 plus S/H

SOLD

If you are interested in owning this sword, contact me via the website or directly at yakiba.com@gmail.com