A SIGNED SAKAI IKKANSAI SHIGEMASA KATANA
Type: Katana (Signed)
Item No.: ujka030
Swordsmith: Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa
Period: 41st year of Showa (August 1966)
Location: Saitama, Tokyo
Signatures on the tang:
酒井一貫斎繁政彫同作（花押）
(Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa)
昭和四十一年八月日 応木村芳昭氏需
(41st of Showa August)
Length: 75.6cm
Curvature: 2.1cm
Hamon: Gunome (wavy)
Certification: NBTHK Hozon (A sword designated worthy of conserving by the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords)
Included: Hozon certificate, shirasaya scabbard, silk brocade carry bag, sword maintenance kit, illustrated maintenance guide, sword stand, full exportation support to send sword to home country
SOLD
Pre-event photo (click for larger view)
Description:
It is rare to find a katana at this length and with such impeccable engraving.
Celebrated swordsmith Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa was born in 37th of Meiji (1904) and became a student of the great Shigetsugu Kasama in the 15th of Taisho (1926). Shigemasa first signed his name as 繁正, then later 繁政 (as seen on the tang of this splendid katana).
Shigemasa had a reputation for the most detailed of engravings such as the glorious dragon found protecting this sword. The sheer number of chisel strokes on the tang is also testament to the skill of this swordsmith.
Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa was one of Kasama Shigetsugu’s formidable students and the heir to the Kasama Shigetsugu no Mon (School). Numerous swords signed by Shigetsugu are in fact “daimei”; made by Shigemasa and signed by Shigetsugu.
The Kasama Shigetsugu School was very active in pre-war and wartime Japan, and considered by contemporaries to exhibit the highest level of craftsmanship. According to the Tokyo Kindai Tosho, Shigemasa also worked with Yasuhiro at the Yasukuni forge. In 1936 he accompanied Yasuhiro when the latter moved to the Okura Tanrensho Dojo.
In 1942, Shigemasa was carefully chosen to craft ten highly prestigious presentation tanto swords commissioned by Admiral Yamamoto. Shigemasa was one of the most important swordsmiths in 20th century Japan.
Shigemasa eventually became a Mukansa swordsmith and teacher of the present day Mukansa swordsmith Ikkansai Shigehisa. After WW2, he was commissioned to make a sacred treasure ken for the Ise Shrine and was still winning sword-making prizes in his old age. Some of Shigemasa’s best swords have sold for $28,000.
This is an incredibly long sword at over 75cm and boats an elegant curvature with a beautiful tight itame (wood grain) hada body. The large gunome hamon is an absolute feast for the eyes.
This sword would be an ideal project to have a custom koshirae (mounting) made. Swords at this length are so very rare and if found engraved, much more expensive.
Brave, admirable and NBTHK certified. This is a most honorable sword at a very, very reasonable price. PK
Questions?
To request further information or secure ownership of this sword, please contact me, Pablo Kuntz.
For steps toward ownership including all payment options, visit 5 Easy Steps to Owning an Authentic Japanese Samurai Sword.
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