Shinto wakizashi
EDO period (1603 - 1868), 17th century
Signed (mei): Kanei sannen hachi gatsu hi [one day of the eighth month of the third year of Kanei (1626)] Etchu (no) Kami Fujiwara Takahira
Blade (sugata): unokubi zukuri, iori mune
Forge pattern (hada): itame
Temper (hamon): notare midare
Point (boshi): kaeri tsuyoshi
Rocket (nakago): ubu keitai, kurijiri nakagojiri, un mekugi ana, katte sagari yasurime
Length (nagasa): 40,7 cm
Scabbard (saya): tsuka de shirasaya
Provenance: second sale Estate of M. Lucien Sauphar, Mes Baudoin et Benoist, Drouot, 23-25 March 1936, n°378
Reference: a katana with the same signature kept at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, accession n°2007.478.2a, b
The signature Takahira is in fact that of the blacksmith Kanekawa, from the prefecture of Kaga (now prefecture of Ishikawa). He changed his signature between 1619 and 1621, and then signed Takahira. The name Fujiwara indicates that he received a title of honorary member of the Fujiwara family.
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