Nakajima Rai Katana - Tokubetsu Hozon in Koshirae and shirasaya.

[Munetsugu]

An Exceptional Koto Nakajima Rai Katana with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Touken Origami in Shirasaya with Koshirae.

 

Nakajima Rai worked out of settsu province and was founded by the legendary Rai Kuninaga. They made extremely high quality work into the nanbokucho period and are known for their very close likeness to the mainline Rai school. There a many blades like this one papered as Juyo.

 

Nagasa - 62.5cm
sori - 1.0cm
mekugi - 3
Motihaba - 3.0cm
Sakihaba - 2.3cm
Motokasane - 0.8cm
Jidai: Koto Nanbokucho 
Province: settsu
Hamon: suguha with nagaashi
Jigane: itame
Boshi: hakikake komaru
Habaki: gold foil single
Mounting: shirasaya
Koshirae: Kawarinuri saya full dragon fittings
Certificate: [N.B.T.H.K] tokubetsu hozon. 

Bargain price, in really good Japanese polish which is a fantastic investment. I spotted another Nakajima Rai blade come up for auction currently in Japan and at 20k.. So I think a very fair price listed to sell. 

 

£8500 UK Based. 

 

Happy to ship worldwide and if you are in United Kingdom or can travel to, you are always welcome to visit and see the katana in hand before purchase. I also have many well respected collectors in the nihonto world who can vouch for me. This is one which I can assure the first person to view will buy. The Jigane is exceptional and extremely hard to photograph properly. The pictures don't do it justice, it looks even better in hand!

 

I have plenty of photos of this sword so please pm me if your interested and I can send them all over. 

 

Thank you. 

 

Chuck. 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

On 9/22/2023 at 1:37 PM, Munetsugu said:

Habaki: gold foil single

Chuck,

Is that a kanji in the center of the habaki?  If so, have you had it translated?  Maybe a Buddhist bonji?

[C0D]

20 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Chuck,

Is that a kanji in the center of the habaki?  If so, have you had it translated?  Maybe a Buddhist bonji?

That's a Fudo Myoo bonji

[Bruce Pennington]

Ah, thanks!

"Japanese his name is written 不動明王.  It literally means
 “The immovable wisdom king”.  He is the guardian of
Buddhism and one of the five Wisdom kings along with Gōzanze, Gundari,
Daiitoku and Kongōyasha"

 

Good luck with the sale!