Page 170 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

46
A WAKIZASHI (SHORT SWORD)
WITH LACQUER MOUNTS
By Yasutsugu, Edo Period (1615-1868),
17th/18th century
The blade of shinogi-zukuri form with torii-zori, chu-
gissaki, and iori-mune, notare-ha of nie and nioi,
itame-hada, komaru-boshi, the omote side with a
horimono (carved image) of Fudo Myo-o wielding
a sword and surrounded by flames, the ura side
carved with a bonji (Sanskrit character) and suken
(double-edged straight sword), the ubu-nakago
with one mekugi-ana, signed Nanban tetsu o motte
Echizen Yasutsugu, Bushu Edo ni oite kore o saku
(Echizen Yasutsugu made this at Edo in Musashi
Province using Nanban iron) and a carved mitsuba
aoi mon (triple-hollyhock crest), in shirasaya (plain
wood scabbard); the saya (scabbard) lacquered
black with densely-sprinkled aogai nashiji (sprinkled
mother-of-pearl) and inlaid with small flying birds of
shell, the tsuba (sword guard) shakudo with inlaid
gilt floral details, signed Furukawa Genchin with a
kao, fuchigashira (matching hilt collar and pommel),
menuki (paired hilt ornaments), kogai (skewer), and
kozuka (knife handle) also shakudo with inlaid gilt
floral details, the kogatana gilt-bronze with bonji, the
kurikata (knob for tying cord), kojiri (scabbard tip),
kaeshizuno (hook to secure scabbard) of gilt-metal
nanako (‘fish-roe’ dot pattern).
The saya: 72cm (28 1/4in) long;
The blade: 50.2cm (19 3/4in) long. (2).
£3,000 - 5,000
CNY27,000 - 45,000

日本江戶時代，十七/十八世紀 康繼作 黑漆包鞘打刀

Provenance:
An important European private collection

來源：
歐洲重要私人收藏

The Yasutsugu School of swordsmiths served the
Tokugawa Shoguns for generations throughout
the Edo period (1615-1868). The first-generation
Yasutsugu, originally named Shimosaka, initially
worked in Echizen Province (Fukui Prefecture), where
he entered the service of Matsudaira Hideyasu (1574-
1607), third son of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu
(1543-1616), and lord of the domain.

Shimosaka went on to serve Shoguns Ieyasu and
Hidetada in Edo (Tokyo), receiving the character
‘Yasu’ in his name from Ieyasu, henceforth known as
Yasutsugu. He was also granted permission to sign
his swords with the Tokugawa-clan hollyhock crest,
a carved mitsuba aoi mon, present on this lot.

The first and second generation Yasutsugu were
well known for the bold horimono (carving) on their
blades. By forging broader swords, they were able
to carve larger, more intricate designs on the surface
without compromising the strength of the blade.
This novel change led to the shift to more decorative
horimono, more typically seen in swords of the Edo
period. For an example of a sword with a plum
branch and bamboo horimono by Yasutsugu I, see
M. Ogawa, ed., Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms
and Armor, 1156-1868, New York, Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 2009, p.182, no.103.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
168 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.