Muramasa On Aoi Art

[Marius]

http://www.aoijapan.com/tanto-□masamuramasa-2nd-generation

 

And, since the page will be removed from Aoi soooner or later, below is Aoi Art's description and two pics:

 

 

Ordering number : AS14756

Tanto in Shirasaya and Koshirae.(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon )

Signature : □masa(Muramasa) (2nd generation)

The sword Muramasa :Sue koto:Saijyo Saku:Ise province.

Sayagaki: Mr Tanobe seize:explanation: Generally Muramasa was engraved 2 characters Muramasa
But the blade was removed one signature Mura.
Because Tokugawa Syogun issued impose the ban for holding Muramasa.
This signature is a good data for this ban not holding Muramasa.
The Tanto is the typical Nakago and jigane and hamon.
Ise Kuni Sengo Muramasa.

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku
Jyo saku and regular saku)This Tanto Masashige is Jyojyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished by high ranking polisher.
Blade length : 27.9 cm or 10.98 inches.
Sori : 0.2 cm or 0.07 inches.
Mekugi : 1
Width at the hamachi : 2.56 cm or 1.00 inches.

Special feature : Muromasa was working at Ise Kuwana province which is called Yoto Muramasa.（specter sword)

Grand father of the Tokugawa Ieyasu Hirotada was assassinated by Muramasa and his son Nobuyasu was
ordered to Seppuku and killed by Muramasa.
Ieyasu himself was injured by Muramasa Yari, so Ieyasu has a vehement hatred of Muramasa.
So Tokugawa Syogun issued impose the ban for holding Muramasa.
Many Daimyo changed the blade to another signature by removing one signature like this Tanto.
Some Daimyo who dislike Tokugawa Syogu liked Muramasa and collected.
The students of the Muramasa are Masashige, Masazane and so on.
I think The Hamon of the Muramasa is very big differen from other sword maker’s
The Hamon is square shape gunome midair and same hamon on bit sides of the blade.
In case of the Muramasa, even if the signature removed, the value is not changed a lot compare original signature sword.
Recently it is very hard to buy Muramasa. We recommend this rare sword Muramasa for you.

Koshirae：
Tsuba：Mokko shape Shakudo Sukashi Tsuba. Kiri Mon is engraved with gold color.
Fuchikashirae: Shakudo, clouds and dragon are engraved with gold color.
Saya: Black color. Kizami Saya and clouds design is painted.
Menuki: Shakudo, chrysanthemum is engraved with gold color.
Kozuka and Kogatana: Shakudo, two dragons are engraved with gold color. 

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata.

Auction Starting Price : 3,800,000 JPY- (including shipping and 100% insurance fee)

Kasane : 0.45 cm or 0.17 inches.
Era : Late Muromachi period.
Shape : The blade is regular size mihaba and Kasane with nice shape.
Jitetsu :Koitame had and mokume hada mixed with jinie attach beautiful texture.
Hamon : Niedeki gunome midare and square shape style mix, in Hamon there are sunaagashi
and small kinsuji work. Boshi is round shape hakikake style yakisage.

[Alex A]

I would very much like to own that tanto, but alas, would require lottery funding. Are you having a bid Mariusz?

[Darcy]

It's a nice tanto, the jigane is good and the hamon is pretty much exactly what you would want to see for Muramasa.

 

It's signed Masamune now. There is a halfhearted attempt to remove the added-after Mune as there was to remove the Mura. 

 

Though he says recently it has become hard... there were 3 or 4 at the Dai Token Ichi and I know a few for sale. What is hard to get though is a good one. They tend to have something wrong with them, either the mei as in this case or condition of the ji in others or suriage nakago.