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Updated: 29 Mar 2024

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Tadayuki
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

$5,620.21

DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
*There might be delay in shipment depending on countries

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

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

Category Katana( SHINTO)
Age Early Edo Period(Late 17th century)
Swordsmith Settsu no Kami Minamoto Tadayuki(摂津守源忠行)
Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
Location  Settsu Province (Today’s Osaka prefecture) 
Blade Size Length: 69.1 cm( 27.2 inches), Curvature:1.54 cm(0.60 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 Signed by Tadayuki with Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate 

【Description】

This blade was forged by Settsu no Kami Minamoto Tadayuki(摂津守源忠行) during the early Edo Period. Based on the signature and NBTHK authentication paper, we believe the second-gen Tadayuki forged it.

The first-gen Tadayuki was the younger brother of Awataguchi Omi no Kami Tadatsuna(粟田口近江守忠綱), one of the most famous swordsmiths in Osaka in the early Edo period. It is said that the first-gen Tadayuki was an apprentice of Tadatsuna, so was the second-gen. And the first-gen and often did Daimei for Tadatsuna while the second-gen helped them forged great swords. 

Daimei is a regular act where an apprentice or a child of the swordsmith signed his master’s name with his master’s permission, being involved in a sword-forging. 

While the first-gen Tadayuki used Fujiwara as his sir name, the second-gen used Minamoto. The second-gen Tadayuki was a niece of Tadayuki dedicated his career to working for Tadatsuna. Therefore, there aren’t many remaining works signed by the second-gen Tadayuki.

The blades forged by Tadayuki are categorized as Osaka Shinto. Shinto is Japanese Sword terminology that refers to the swords forged during 1596-1781. The blades made in Osaka area during this period are called Osaka Shinto. There are many famous swordsmiths in this Osaka Shinto era. After Hideyoshi Toyotomi built Osaka castle, Osaka city flourished as a castle town and became the business center. Many swordsmiths moved to Osaka to look for better opportunities. They not only forged swords for those Samurai who lived in Osaka but also for feudal lords nationwide. Ikanshi Tadatsuna(Awataguchi Omi no Kami Tadatsuna), Inoue Shinkai, and Tsuda Sukehiro are the most famous ones among those many swordsmiths.

One of the most notable characteristics of Osaka Shinto is its beauty in Jigane. Jigane is a visible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during the forging process), which made it possible by the location of Osaka. Osaka had close access to the Tamahagane(special carbon steel to make Japanese swords) production sites. The swordsmiths residing in Osaka were able to get high-quality carbon steel from these sites.

This blade is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token(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.

*Please keep in mind that there is partial black rust on Mune(backbone of the blade) and ha(blade). We will be happy to have these spots removed by a professional polisher we do business with to improve its aesthetic beauty after you make a purchase.We won’t charge any extra fee.

 

【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)69.1 cm( 27.2 inches)
Curvature(Sori) 1.54 cm(0.60 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


 

Others: Partial black rust on the blade 

NakagoNakago 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-KashiraA pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.

Chrysanthemums are designed on the Fuchi part of this Fuchi Kashira. It seems it was initially decorated with several colors. Although most of these colors have already been flaked off due to aging, it still remains its charm. The Kashira part is simply colored with black lacquer.

A long time ago, the chrysanthemum was used as a medicine for obtaining a long life, and it was brought to Japan from the Continent with this thought in the Nara period (648-781). The chrysanthemum is one of the flowers which symbolizes autumn, and people have appreciated it very much since ancient times. As its petals form radially, the chrysanthemum has been likened to the sun. That is why this flower pattern is treated as the symbol of perpetual youth and longevity or good health.

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

This Menuki’s design is the same flower motif of the Fuchi Kashira above. Most of the golden coloring of the surface has already been lost due to aging. However, it would show you the long history of this Menuki. We hope you will enjoy this antique texture.

When you look at the entire sword’s handle, you would feel it has unity. It is probably because of the combination of the same type of motifs for the sword mountings. In this case, it is the Fuchi Kashira and the Menuki. The Tsuba’s design also has a common point based on seasonality. Please check the Tsuba’s explanation below.

Tsuba and HabakiTsuba 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. 

Yotsu-Mokkou-shaped Tsuba is made from iron. The Mokkou (木瓜) shape’s origin is a shape of eggs that are rest in a nest. When a quince (it is written 木瓜 in Japanese) is cut into round slices, its cross-section looks similar to this shape; therefore, it was named Mokkougata Tsuba. Yotsu-Mokkougata (a combination of four Mokkou shapes) Tsuba is often seen as this work is categorized.

A Kamakiri (蟷螂, mantis) is walking in the grass and seems it stares at us. The mantis is also called “Ogami-Mushi (拝み虫),” or “Inori-Mushi (祈り虫)” in Japanese. Both of these names mean a praying insect. Mantises hold their arms together, and their long wings cover their lower bodies. As this posture looks like a priest who prays to God, the mantis is likened to a “praying mantis.” Mantises lay well. Therefore, the mantis is considered a symbol of children.

At the backside of this Tsuba, you see a Japanese pampas grass. It is also found at the back of the mantis. This plant is one of the symbolic plants of autumn. You would feel autumn atmosphere by combining with the Fuchi Kashira and the Menuki’s motif (chrysanthemum).

Saya Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.  

This scabbard has an elegant and gorgeous look. Its Sayanuri (鞘塗り, coloring of the scabbard) seems as if it depicts a starry sky. Finely crushed seashells are spread all over the black lacquer ground. We would categorize it as a kind of the Raden (螺鈿) technique. The Raden is a type of decorative technique that has often been used for traditional craftworks in Japan. It uses the pearl part of seashells and puts it into the engraved surface of lacquer or wood. Crushed oyster shell gives a luxurious look to works as you see in this scabbard.

Authentication PaperNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

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 Aug 9th in the 11th year of Heisei (1999). They appraised it as a 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 : Ehime 11853 
The Board of Education in Ehime 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 th
e 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.

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 400 Japanese swords 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 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, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany , France, Hong Kong. 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 either EMS or FedEx(Canada). 

  We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. When we receive an order from the Canada we will use FedEx instead as EMS temporarily stops shipping from Japan to those countries due to COVID-19. 

  We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office/FedEx. 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 takes 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 an 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 Powder, Peg remover, Oil Applicator). By watching the video instruction above , you can enjoy learning how to maintain your Japanese sword while appreciating it.

 

MORE ANTIQUE JAPANESE SWORD FOR SALE

READ KATANA ARCHIVE ARTICLE(Episode1-8)

LEARN JAPANESE SWORD TERMINOLOGY

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    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

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    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

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