Kamakura Koto Ayanokoji Sueyuki Katana with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate mounted in Kenuki Tachi koshirae
Tanobe Sensei
Sayagaki
城刕末⾏
⼤磨上無銘也同⼯ハ綾⼩路ノ族デ⼀説ニ定利⾨ト傳へ年代ヲ永仁頃ト云フ本⼑ハ細⾝ノ華奢ナ
姿態ニ焼刃ハ⼩沸付ク⼩互乃⽬ヤ⼩丁⼦ガ間近ク⼩模様ニ乱レテ⾜⼊リ潤⼼モ交ヘルナド同⼯
ノ所傳ハ⾸肯サレル優品也
⻑弐尺壱⼨⼆分
時在⾟丑秊極⽉
探⼭識焉「花押」
Jōshū Sueyuki
Ō-suriage mumei nari. Dōkō wa Ayanokōji no zoku de ichisetsu ni Sadatoshi mon to tsutae nendai o Einin
goro to iu. Hontõ wa hosomi no kyasha na shitai ni yakiba wa ko-nie tsuku ko-gunome ya ko-chōji ga
majikaku ko-moyō ni midarete ashi hairi uruu-gokoro mo majieru nado dōkō no shoden wa shukō-seraru
yūhin nari.
Nagasa ni-shaku issun ni-bu
Jizai kanoto-ushidoshi gokugetsu
Tanzan kore o shirusu + kaō
Sueyuki from Yamashiro Province
[This blade is] ō-suriage mumei. Sueyuki belonged to the Ayanokōji group and a theory traditionally
regards him as student of master Sadatoshi. Apart from that, it is said that he was active around
Einin (1293–1299). This blade is of a slender and elegant shape and is hardened in a ko-nie-based
ko-gunome and ko-chōji with ashi, whose midare elements are rather small dimensioned. This and
the fact that the ha tends to be subdued in places is typical for Sueyuki and I am thus positive to
attribute this masterwork to this smith.
Blade length ~ 64.2 cm
Written by Tanzan [Tanobe Michihiro] in December of the year of the ox of this era (2021) +
monogram
Mounted in Edo Kenuki Daimyo Tachi koshirae custom made to suit this Ieshige blade. Highly detailed silver fittings which are superbly decorated in very fine detailed katakiri bori carving the main body of the tsuka is done in a very fine nanako finish. Menuki are in the form of Wisteria / Fuji Mon and also the sarute has the wisteria mon which was used by the Fujiwara clan and similar crests were later used by other clans also.
The Ornately decorated gold lacquered scabbard also shows highly detailed Makie Wisteria blossoms and tendrils with some highlighted leaves in gold foil. This Tachi would of been owned by a high ranking Daimyo in the late Edo period. The blade is mounted in Shirasaya, The Koshirae has a wooden tsunagi fitted.
