Until 31st Dec, 2025
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A MURAMASA SCHOOL TANTO IN SHIRASAYA WITH NBTHK TOKUBETSU KICHO TOKEN CERTIFICATE
Lot 123 - JPN0625
By a member of the Muramasa school, signed Muramasa
Japan, 17th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The sugata is hira-zukuri with mitsu mune, the hamon is midare in nie and nioi-deki, the hada is itame and mokume, with two bohi (bloodlines) to one side and a horimono of a sword to the reverse. The nakago with two mekugi-ana, the tip is kurijiri, and the mei reads MURAMASA. The silver habaki in two separate parts with vertical and horizontal file marks.
NAGASA 27.4 cm, LENGTH 43.3 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, the nakago possibly shortened.
With an NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho (“Especially Precious”) Token certificate, no. 352600, dated 27 November Showa 52 (1977).
The shirasaya inscribed ‘Muramasa, the length of the blade is 9-sun and 5-bu, written by Kanzan, on an auspicious day in the autumn of the Showa 52 (1977)’.
The Muramasa school was founded by Sengo Muramasa during the Muromachi period. He was an iconic figure in the realm of swordsmithing and his legacy of craftsmanship survived through the Muramasa school, which continued to produce swords of exceptional quality until the early Edo period. Allegedly the Tokugawa family avoided Muramasa's swords because they were involved in many misfortunes that occurred around Tokugawa Ieyasu. As a result, they became known as ‘Cursed Muramasa Swords’.
Auction comparison:
Compare a related tanto blade, signed Muramasa, also with horimono, 24.1 cm long (the blade), at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art, 9 November 2010, London, lot 3 (sold for GBP 19,200).
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