G63780(S6101)
+Shipping

Katana unsigned Shitahara YASUSHIGE with)Black Roiro lacquered Bamboo-shape scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae

Koto End Muromachi period (Tensho era circa 1573-) Bushu
Length of cutting edge68.3cm Curvature1.8cm　Width of base29.2mm Width of Yokote21.8mm Thickness of base7.2mm

NBTHK(Hozon) certificate

with)Black Roiro lacquered Bamboo-shape scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae

Sugata(configuration) : Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune, O-suriage substantially shortened. There is a bit on deeper side Sori in curvature and less degree of tapering from bottom to the swelling upper Monouchi area leading to an extended medium Kissaki. Kasane is thick holding massive volume in Hiraniku. Bo-hi groove on both sides that is chiselled in round end on Nakago. (click HERE for super sized image)
Kitae(forging pattern) : Kitae-hada is conspicuous large Mokume wooden burl grain marks mixing in the indication of burls in range so called AYASUGI-style, along cutting edge some indication of flowing grain marks is perceived. Conspicuous forging marks Chikei generates from an abyss of steel agaist sparkling Ji-nie hard metal granules.
Hamon(tempering pattern) : Hamon is Nie based undulating Notare with Gunome-zigzag, clove outline of Choji where temper quenching line is covered with thick sparkling Nie granules and works with rich activities of Nie such as thick lines of Ashi toward the cutting edge as well as blushing lines so called Kinsen or Short thinner lines of Sunagashi that streams in the interior of temper.
Boshi (tip): The temper of the tip forms undulating Notare with delicate irreguilar Ko-midare with blushing Hakikake indication then medium circle turns back.
Nakago(tang) : Unsigned Suriage partially shortened, Horizontal (Kiri) filemarks and bottom is Horizontal Kiri heel. Two mekugi-ana peg holes.

SHITAHARA 下原 lineage school, a founder Yamamoto Tajima CHIKASHIGE 山本但馬周重 who is a pupil of TSUNAHIRO 綱廣 in Odawara, was invited by a feudal loard Oishi 大石氏 to come to Shimo-ondaka, Bushu province (now in Hachiouji- city), during Eisho or Kyoroku (very early 16th century) period.
YASUSHIGE 康重 reportedly was born in Eiroku 6th (1563) said a younger brother of Tajima CHIKASHIGE 山本但馬周重 was grated a name of YASU 康 from the loard of Odawara castle Houjo Ujiyasu 北条氏康 to name himself YASUSHIGE 康重. After Houjo had gone to ruin Tensho 18th (1590), He had served for Tokugawa Shogun to flourish until end of Edo period.
The subject katana holds major current of Momoyama period battle age to prove typical forging character of Shitahara school. conspicuous Mokume-hada with the typical indication of Ayasugi forging scene with hard Nie temper indication such as Kinsen or Sunagashi activity that had been transmitted from Odawara Soushu school. The blade is massively heavy on hands to show peculiarity of YASUSHIGE 康重 who closely worked for warlords in the Warning States period.

with) Black Roiro style lacquered Bamboo-style scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae (clikc HERE for entire Koshirae and HERE for each fitting)
  • Fuchi/kashira : Flowers and Birds design, Shakudo ground, Takabori carving, Gold Iroe, unsigned
  • Menuki : Chinese foreigner design, Shakudo katabori carving, Gold Iroe
  • Tsuba : Riging Sun motif, polish surface Yamagane copper ground, unsigned
  • Tsuka : White rayskin, Moegi yellowish green silk cord Morotsumami-maki style lozenge warp
Gold foiled double layer Habaki collar. The entire blade is preserved in a shira-saya plain wood mounting.
Recent excellent polish/Condition scale: very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
reference :
HONMA Kunzan, ISHII Masakuni, Nihonto Meikan, Yuzankaku 1975
GOTO Yasutaka, Bushu Shitahara To Zufu