Page 47 - Fine Japanese Art November 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

31 | A VERY RARE AND MAGNIFICENT ENJU
SCHOOL KOTO TACHI REGISTERED AS A JUYO
TOKEN, WITH SHIRASAYA AND KOSHIRAE
Japan, Koto, mid to late Kamakura period (1185-1333)

The blade was rated a Juyo Token (Important Work) by the NAGASA 67.6 cm, MOTOHABA 3.05 cm, SAKIHABA 1.95 cm
NBTHK in 2001 and listed in the Juyo Zufu #47 on page 145.
The sayagaki on the shirasaya was made by Michihiro Tanobe, Condition: The blade and koshirae are in superb condition.
former senior managing director and the head judge at the time, Provenance: Important samurai art from an Austrian private
attesting to the quality and status of this sword. It states that this collection – Lots (31 – 39) are from an Austrian private collection,
extremely precious and rare sword has the finest ko-itame assembled with great knowledge and care, as all the objects are in
jigane of all Enju blades submitted for shinsa (examination) in a superior state of preservation. The collection most prominently
ten years! features three Koto swords, no. 31 is listed as a Juyo Token
(= important work).
The blade:
Shinogi-zukuri with iori mune. The mune is wide and thick, Estimate EUR 40.000,-
producing a very healthy blade with a lot of hira niku. The kissaki Starting price EUR 20.000,-
is ikubi (“boar’s neck”) in the style of the late Kamakura period. The
blade shows excellent bo-hi and soe-hi carving. The jigane (surface
of the steel) is a tight ko-itame (wood grain) pattern with tendencies
toward nagare-hada, a flowing pattern. The hiraji hada, or skin of
the blade, shows much ji nie as well as fine chikei, appearing wet
or oily on the surface. The nie-utsuri, shadowing the hamon within
the hiraji showing martensite crystals, is a prominent feature of this
blade and a common one for the Rai school and its affiliates, like
the Enju. The hamon is chu suguha, a straight and elegant temper
line in nie deki with predominantly martensite formations. The tang
is o-suriage, mumei (unsigned). The blade is attributed to Ko-Enju,
the earliest period of this swordsmith school, by the NBTHK. The
blade is stored in a fine inscribed shirasaya and the mounting is
separate.

The mounting:
The handachi koshirae is from the mid-Edo period (c. 1650-1700),
the saya has a matte black lacquer finish with cloud motifs, the
fuchi-kashira and handachi fittings are shibuichi with an ishime
finish. Interestingly, the tsuka is made from shakudo instead of the
regular same but with the same ray skin texture. The waki goto
menuki are finely carved dragons in shakudo and gold of excellent
quality. The excquisite kyo-sukashi tsuba complements the cloud
theme of the saya.

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