Sword - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)

Included in the lot: sword kimono or cotton bag. An additional certificate included.
Sword purchased from Supein Nihonto and sold by a private individual in Europe.

History and Importance
Fantastic sword, endowed with a great history, signed "Chounsai Koretoshi" and dated in the summer of 1856. This date is of enormous importance for the blade: it was the year in which his father, the renowned smith Munetoshi, bestowed upon him the honorable title of Chounsai, passing down the family heritage. The sayagaki (inscription on the wooden sheath) tells the story of this succession; it is therefore, with great probability, the first sword produced by Koretoshi shortly after receiving the title from his father, which gives the object a unique and fascinating historical value. An attached handwritten certificate is also included.

The School and Style
The school to which Tsunatoshi belonged flourished at the end of the Edo period, producing numerous masters who became historically significant, including Koyama Munetsugu, Takahashi Naganobu, and Ishido Korekazu. Tsunatoshi excelled in forging according to the Bizen-Den tradition, characterized by the Choji Midare Hamon (an irregular and wavy temper line). This feature is clearly visible even on this blade. It is said that, regarding traditional Bizen Den swords, Tsunatoshi's school surpassed even Suishinshi Masahide.

Tsunatoshi settled in Edo around 1823, where he produced most of his works and founded his school, living with the Uesugi family. He received the honorary title of Chounsai (長運斎) in the first year of the Bunka era (1854). In 1856 he ceded this title to his son Koretoshi (second generation Tsunatoshi), taking for himself the new title of Chojyusai (長寿斎), which in Japanese means "long life".

Condition
The blade bears an antique Japanese polish, still in good condition; the jihada in steel is rich in detail. The elegant koshirae features a signed fuchi, all dating back to the Edo period, with the exception of the saya (scabbard), which has been replaced with a contemporary one, probably due to damage to the original.

The blade is in excellent condition considering the time that has passed. It shows no hagire nor fatal damage. Being an ancient Japanese weapon, it has real historical value. As an object with centuries of history and not an industrial product, there may be slight play between the saya, tsuka, or tsuba due to expansion or humidity, as well as small signs of time, such as scratches or slight oxidation spots. Sold as-is.

A real authentic Nihonto, hard to find in Europe without the ensuing import costs from Japan (which can raise the price by up to 30%) and without the months of waiting for customs procedures. A true Japanese blade for the delight of both novice and expert collectors. The attribution is provided for information purposes and is subject to verification.

Dimensions:

Total length of Koshirae: 100 cm

Blade length (Nagasa): 61 cm

Sori: 1.1 cm