Hōki no Kami Taira Ason Masayuki

Description

Masayuki, born Ijichi Masayoshi (the third of that name), trained under Masachika and received the title Hōki no Kami in Kansei 1; together with Motohira he is one of the two leading figures of the Satsuma school in the shinshintō period. The blade has a nagasa of 67.6 cm and a sori of 1.82 cm; it is broad and thick, with a slightly extended kissaki. According to the original seller the jigane is a fine, dark ko-itame; the hamon is a nie-deki gunome-midare with a deep nioiguchi, sunagashi and kinsuji, and the bōshi is hakikake. The photographs show an intact nakago with a single mekugi-ana, signed 伯耆守平朝臣正幸 and dated 寛政六年寅二月 (2nd month of Kansei 6, 1794), the smith being 63 at the time according to the seller; single gold-foil habaki. The shirasaya bears a 1957 sayagaki by Satō Kanzan, per the original seller. The koshirae, shown complete in the photographs, comprises a kenjō-style shakudō tsuba with gold rim, shakudō nanako fuchi-kashira with gold spools, shakudō menuki of a bird in a tree and a black-lacquered saya with a wrinkled texture; the seller describes it but does not date it. An NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate is declared but does not appear in the photographs.