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Updated: 29 Mar 2024

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Katana attributed to Tegai
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

$6,606.42

DELIVERY TIME: Approx. 1-1.5 months
*We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

SHIPPING TO:
USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Hong Kong, France, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

INCLUDED: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Case, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

Category Katana (KOTO: 古刀)
Age Late Kamakura- Nanbokucho period
Swordsmith Attributed to Tegai (手掻: Unsigned)
Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
Location Yamato province (Today’s Nara prefecture)
Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 60.4 cm (23.8 inches)
Curvature: 1.4 cm (0.55 inches) 

Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Katana attributed to Tegai with NBTHK Tokubestsu Hozon Certificate

【Description】

 This blade is attributed to Tegai  (手掻) according to NBTHK’s appraisal. The first-gen Kanenaga is known as the founder of Tegai school. The school was prosperous during the late Kamakura-mid Muromachi period (1288-1460). We believe the attribution was given to late Kamakura-Nanbokucho era (Early-Mid 14th century). It is said that Tegai school belonged to Todaiji temple, and it was located in front of the gate called Tengai Gate (輾磑門). The school name Tegai originally came from the sound of Tengai Gate.

 There were five prestigious schools, including Tegai school, during the Kamakura-Nanbokucho period in Yamato province. They are called Yamato Goha(大和五派); Senjyuin(千手院), Shikkake (尻懸), Taima(当麻), Hosho(保昌) and Tegai(手掻) school. They served politically powerful monks and temples in Nara, such as Todaiji temples. They were initially forging swords for military monks who became powerful due to the government’s policy back then.

 Monks needed many weapons as there were many political rivalries between influential temples. They required strong weapons like swords to protect themselves. During this time, Tegai school or other Yamato sword schools met the requests from monks. They also forged blades for Samurai during their heyday. It is often the case that those who belonged to Yamato Goha didn’t inscribe their signatures.

 Tegai school belonged to YAMATO DEN, which has the longest history among GOKADEN, five traditions of Japanese sword forging techniques. The blades forged by swordsmiths residing in the Yamato region are generally called Yamato Mono.

 The swords forged in the Yamato regions are famous for their beautiful Jigane, steel surface, and straight tempering line(Suguha). This blade has a beautiful Jigane with a Suguha tempering line, which shows an outstanding characteristic of the Yamato sword.

  

 This blade is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Touken (特別保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). This authentication paper was only given to authentic Japanese swords, especially well preserved and high quality with artistic value. 

 

【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length (Nagasa): 60.4 cm (23.8 inches)
Curvature (Sori): 1.4 cm (0.55 inches) 


 

Hamon
The crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process.
Jimon (Jihada):
Visible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process.



 

Nakago: Nakago is the tang of the Japanese sword.

 Japanese swordsmiths left the black rust on the tang because it prevents red rust while the tang is in its handle. And the discoloration of the tang was created over time, and it is a great indicator for a Japanese sword specialist to estimate when the sword was forged.

Koshirae: Koshirae is the mounting of the Japanese sword. There are several parts that consist of Koshirae such as Saya (Scabbard), Tsuka (Handle), Tsuba (Handguard).

 

Fuchi-Kashira: A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.

 The Kiri (桐) patterns are designed on this Fuchi Kashira. Gold paintings are applied to these flowers and make this part looks gorgeous. This plant design is generally composed of three standing straight inflorescences and three leaves. The number of blooming flowers at each inflorescence means the ranks of this design. The Gosan-no Kiri Monyou (五三の桐文様) is a popular pattern that the paulownia motif is used. This design was once used by the imperial family and people in authority back then. Today, it is permitted to use by ordinary households and is appreciated as their family crests. Not only is the Gosan-no Kiri pattern, but there are also various types of Kiri-designed family crests. In order to distinguish between the head family and branch families, or the lord and vassals, they used family crests with the same motif but were not exactly the same appearance.


Tsuka and Menuki: Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.

 Same as the Fuchi Kashira, the Kiri motif is used on this Menuki. It seems that this plant pattern is intentionally drawn as a family crest here: the Maru-ni Gosan Kiri (丸に五三桐) pattern. The Kiri pattern has been treated as a high-class family crest because it relates to a foreign legend surrounding the Kiri. According to a tradition, Houou (鳳凰, Fenghuang, a kind of sacred beast) rests its wings at the paulownia tree. Therefore, it has come to be regarded as a sacred plant. It was believed that Houou would show up when the brilliant emperor appeared. It shows people deeply considered the Kiri as a holy object.

Tsuba and Habaki: Tsuba is the handguard for the Japanese Sword and Habaki is the equipment to make the blade not touch its scabbard inside. It prevents the blade from getting rusty and chipped. 

 You would find the sideways figures of four animals with long ears. And waves are depicted at the center of this Tsuba. We think this Tsuba’s theme is the Nami to Usagi (波と兎)/ Nami Usagi (波兎). It is a combination of waves and rabbits. Since waves are water, people believed that the wave pattern would protect against fire, and rabbits, the spirits of the moon, were considered auspicious beasts that brought prosperity and fertility. In general, designs such as the moon and rabbit, Japanese apricot blossom and Japanese bush warbler, maple and deer, bamboo and tiger, wave and plover, and cloud and dragon, these motifs have been popular with Japanese people for a long time as good combinations. And these have been widely used in various situations. This Nami Usagi pattern is one of them. According to a theory, rabbits have the meaning of prosperity because they are prolific. It is also said to symbolize leaps and bounds from the appearance of rabbits energetically flying around the waves. The Nami Usagi is a very auspicious design, and we imagine that the former owner of this sword was conscious of the auspicious meaning of this design and incorporated it into the Koshirae.

 

Saya: Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.  

 

Authentication Paper: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate for the blade (No.1017568)

 NBTHK, also known as Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai (the Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword), is one of the oldest Japanese sword appraising organizations in modern-day Japan. They authenticated the blade on Mar. 2nd in the 4th year of Reiwa (2022). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society. The purchaser will receive this original certificate as well. We can also translate what is written into English and make a PDF file for your record if you request.

Registration Number: Kagoshima 14828
 The Board of Education in Kagoshima prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword. It is called Jyu Token Rui Torokusho (銃刀剣類登録証). Bunkacho (The Agency for Cultural Affairs) acknowledges a Japanese sword with this paper as a work of art.
 The sword needs to be traditionally hand-forged and made of Tamahagane carbon steel to be registered in the system. With this paper, its owner in Japan can legally own an authentic Japanese sword. Based on this registration number, we will apply for its export permit.
 This paper will need to be returned to the board of education when the sword is being shipped abroad, but you can receive a copy of it. An English translation of this registration paper is available on request.


【About us】
 Samurai Museum is located in Tokyo, Japan, exhibiting antique artifacts related to the Samurai history. Samurai Museum Shop is the place for those who are interested in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. We deal with antique Samurai swords/armor, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on.

【Review】
 Here is one of the reviews we received from a customer who purchased an authentic Japanese sword from us. For more reviews, please click here.
“My experience overall with the whole process was wonderful. I had many questions about the history and process to purchase these treasures. All my questions were answered very timely and complete. The staff is very knowledgeable and very well versed if any questions do arise.”

Japanese Sword& Export Process
 The Japanese swords we deal with are hand-forged edged swords made in Japan. It was made from the traditional carbon steel called TAMAHAGANE (玉鋼). Samurai Museum is familiar with the proper legal procedure for an antique/ authentic Japanese sword to be exported from Japan. We have sent more than 500 Japanese swords for the past three years (~2023) to amazing owners who appreciate its historical value.

 Each Japanese sword is registered under the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Board of Education in Japan. They issue a registration paper for each Japanese sword for its owner in Japan to legally possess it. The Japanese sword with its registration paper means it was traditionally hand-forged in Japan.

 To legally export the sword from Japan to other countries, we will have to apply for its permit to the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkacho) and return the original registration paper to the Board of Education. It normally takes around 2-4 weeks to receive this permit after submitting required documents. And we would like you to expect at least 1-1.5 months for your order to arrive at your given address after you ordered. For more detailed info, please click here.

 It is allowed for residents in Japan to own authentic Japanese swords without a special license as long as they come with registration papers. Please feel free to contact us if you are a resident of Japan, whether temporarily or permanently. We will also assist you when you leave Japan and need to obtain the export permit.

【Payment Method】
 We accept payment through Stripe (Credit card), PayPal, Apple Pay or ChromePay, all of which are secure payment methods. Also, you don’t need to make an account on Stripe for the checkout. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. After confirming your payment, we will apply for an export permit. You may either pay in JPY, USD, AUD, CAD, EUR, CHF or GBP. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate. 

*If the amount is above 1 million JPY, Stripe or wire transfer will be the only options for payment.

【Shipping】
 We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Hong Kong and Australia. If you don’t live in these countries and like to order, please contact us first before making a purchase. We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can send antique Japanese swords by EMS. 

 We normally ship by EMS (Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office. We will put 100 % insurance on the shipping document without any extra charge. Based on the total amount, there might be a duty tax or other fee for you to pay, depending on the countries. We use package cushioning to protect the item and put it in a PVC pipe, which is one of the most secure packages because of its durability.

 It will normally take 5-14 days for the item to arrive at your given address after we dispatch it. Time of delivery is estimated as accurately as possible by the carrier but does not take into account any delays beyond our control such as by inclement weather, post office holiday seasons.

*If you live in Australia and like to purchase an authentic Japanese sword, please click here to know the detail.

*Please keep in mind that due to the spread of COVID-19, there might be delays in shipping. If you like to know the detail about shipping, please feel free to ask us.

【How to make sure the condition】
 Please keep in mind that what you are going to purchase is an antique item. We uploaded high resolution photos for you to check its condition thoroughly. If you like to see more photos with different angles, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to send them to you so that you can make informed decision. It is essential for us to know that you are happy with your choice of a sword. and we are prepared to use the best of our ability to serve you.

【How To Contact Us】
 Please contact us through email, Facebook Messenger or Live Chat if you have any questions. You can find each icon on the right side of the website. Please click one of them to reach us. We will reply to you within 1-2 business days.

The Art of Nihonto (Japanese Sword)
 Samurai’s history is a profound, eloquent legacy of ancient Japanese warriors in which millions of people worldwide are being fascinated. If you like to find out the art of Nihonto, please click here.

A Guide to Japanese Sword Maintenance
 After acquiring a genuine Japanese sword, it is also important to know how to take good care of it. Here is the special video for you. Mr. Paul Martin, Japanese sword expert, shows you how to give proper maintenance to your sword. By mastering how to clean the Japanese sword, its aesthetic beauty will last forever.

 When you purchase a Japanese sword from us, you can get a Free Japanese sword maintenance kit. It comes with four tools (Choji Oil, Uchiko Whetstone Powder, Peg remover, Oil Applicator). By watching the video instruction above, you can enjoy learning how to maintain your Japanese sword while appreciating it. If you have any difficulty assembling the sword or cleaning the blade, you can feel free to contact us.

 

MORE ANTIQUE JAPANESE SWORD FOR SALE

SWORDS WITHOUT CERTIFICATES FOR SALE

READ KATANA ARCHIVE ARTICLE(Episode1-8)

LEARN JAPANESE SWORD TERMINOLOGY

 

 Thank you for reading all the information on the page. If you have any difficulty choosing the right Japanese sword for you, we will be more than happy to help you find the one that speaks to you the most. Please feel free to contact us.

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