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Antique Japanese Daisho Set of Swords and Mounts

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,600.00 USD
Antique Japanese Daisho Set of Swords and Mounts
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Antique Japanese Daisho Set of Swords and Mounts. A nice daisho set of a signed katana and
mumei (unsigned) wakizashi, with blades ca. the Shinto era(1600-1750), and mounts ca. the
19th Century. Includes NBTHK Hozon papers for the blades, and fact sheets from a Japanese
Sword dealer dated 2015. The set also comes with a full length oshigata rubbing of both blades,
wrapped in a scroll. The katana is a shinogi-zukuri shape, suriage and machi-okuri with a two
character signature reading Nobuyoshi, and two mekugi-anas (tang holes). The blade is 69cm
long or 27-1/8 long, with a narrow nie deki suguha hamon, ko-itame hada, and ko-kissaki with
small turn back boshi. It has a NBTHK Hozon paper, dated Heisei 27(2015), that verifies the
signature to Nobuyoshi (Echizen no Kami) who worked in the late 1600s. He was the third son
of the Yamashiro line of Nobuyoshis. It is in a nice state of polish showing a few light marks
from going in and out of the saya. The blade has a copper habaki with a dark shakudo foil cover.
The saya has fine cut bristles embedded in a dark brown lacquer that resemble pine needles.
The koiguchi at the top of the saya is gold colored metal with a nanako surface and smooth
narrow edges. The kogiri at the bottom tip appears to be a horn replacement that is lacquered
with a light gold color. There is a white sageo cord tied around the kurikata and the saya. The
saya lacquer is in excellent condition, with no chips or losses. The tsuka handle is covered in
same ray skin, with braided brown silk ito cord with white chevron flecks. The fuchi and kashira
fittings are iron with Namban designs of Chinese writing characters. The menuki are kiku
flowers in silver and gold with calligraphy brushes. The seppas are gold foil covered copper. The
tsuba is iron, roughly mokko shaped with relief carved designs of gods with silver and copper
faces, and gold inlaid designs on their kimonos. The kozuka and kogai hitsuanas are filled with
shakudo plugs with a rain design carved in. The tsuba measures 78mm wide x 80mm tall, and all
the fittings are unsigned. The iron fittings show age, light rust, and minor losses to the gold
inlaid details. There is some light verdigris around the copper face on the tsuba. The seppas
show some looseness to the gold foil covering. The menuki are very nice, showing little wear.
The silk ito wrapping shows losses from age and use in several areas, with some repairs to keep
it from unraveling. The base of the wooden handle core has a small repair around the opening
for the tang, but is covered with the fuchi. The same is in good condition and shows some age
soiling from age.
The wakizashi is a beefy, wide, shobu-zukuri shape, with a nie deki gunome midare hamon. The
hada is ko-itame, itame, with some masume grain in places. The boshi is Yakizume, with small
turn back. The sword dates from the Kanbun era, around 1661. The tang is ubu, mumei
(unsigned), with one mekugi-ana. The blade length is 37.5cm or 14-3/4”, with a NBTHK Hozon
paper dated Heisei 27(2015) that attributes the sword to “Shinto Jumyo”. There were
numerous sword smiths that used the name Jumyo from Koto to Shinto and later times. They
were considered an auspicious sword to give or receive as gifts. It has a copper habaki with a
shakudo foil cover. The saya is the same type as the long sword, covered in bristles embedded
in dark brown lacquer, with nanako gold colored metal koiguchi and kojiri. There is a pocket in
the back side of the saya for a kozuka. There is a white sageo cord wrapped around the saya
and the kurikata. The tsuka handle is covered in ray skin and wrapped in matching woven

brown silk ito with white chevron flecks. The fuchi and kashira are iron with Namban designs of
Chinese writing characters, similar to those on the long sword. The menuki are dark shakudo
rice bales and tied bags. The seppas are gold foil covered copper. The tsuba is mokko shaped
with relief carvings of three gods with copper and silver faces, and gold inlaid details to their
kimonos. It is a similar theme and design, but not quite the same as the katana tsuba, and may
represent the same fable or story. It measures 68mm wide x 72mm tall, with a kozuka hitsuana.
There is a kozuka present in the saya pocket, with a signed blade. The kozuka handle is copper
with a nanako plate featuring a dragon and a tiger with gold and silver details. All the fittings
are unsigned. Condition is very good, the blade in a nice state of polish with clear grain in the
metal, a nice hamon, and showing little to no use or marks. The saya lacquer is in excellent
condition, the fittings are in good condition showing light age. The kozuka blade has some
heavy rust that obscures some of the signature. The kozuka handle has scratches, wear, and
dings from use. The tsuba and fuchi/kashira show a light rust patina to the iron with some
losses to the gold inlaid details, with some red rust on the kashira. The tsuba shows some
evidence of recent cleaning to the iron surface. The seppas show some looseness to the gold
foil covering. The silk ito shows losses and light wear from age and use, with some repairs to
keep it intact. The same’ shows shrinkage and minor losses to the nodules. The menuki are very
nice, with a pleasing dark patina, and show light dusty soiling from age. Overall a nice, well
preserved, daisho set of swords and mounts, showing the right amount of age.  Est.:  $5,000-
$7,500.