Katana by Kuniie Yoshihara With NBTHK papers

[Chris L]

Yoshihara Kuniie was born in 1894 in Ibaraki prefecture.  He was the seventh son of a toolmaker. Grandfather  and teacher of Mukansa swordsmith's Yoshihara Yoshido and Yoshihara Kuniie 2nd Shoji.  He became a teacher at Kyushu University Kingakubu Nihonto Kenkyujo in 1937.  In 1938, he opened his own forge at his home in Setagaya, Tokyo.  He was a contract smith for the Japanese Imperial army.  He became an instructor at the forge of Toyama Mitsuru's estate, Tokiwamatsu Tenren Kenkyu Jo in Tokyo after Shigetsugu moved to a different area.

In 1941, Kuniie became the chief instructor of the Japanese Sword Institute (Nihonto Gakuin) in Sagamihara-cho, Zama Kangawa Prefecture.

This sword was commissioned by his great-grandmother Kinko, to celebrate an achievement, not sure which one.  It is dated Mid Autumn Day, Showa 17 (1942). The same year he was listed as top swordsmith of Eastern Japan.

The sword is in shirasaya. The hamon is choji with a maru boshi, hada is a tight itame.  Nakago is signed on the omote 吉原國家作　昭和十七年仲秋日 and on the ura 為水書功二　曽祖母きん子贈之.

This sword has a NBTHK hozon certificate. There is a small area with superficial rust.  This sword is currently in Japan.  

 

Nagasa is 62.8 cm
Sori is 1.6 cm
Motohaba is 33 mm
Sakihaba is 23 mm
Motokasane is 7 mm

 

Price $6000

 

 

[SteveM]

14 hours ago, Chris L said:

This sword was commissioned by his great-grandmother Kinko, to celebrate an achievement, not sure which one.

 

I think the sword was commissioned for Mizukaki Kōji (水書功二) by his great-grandmother Kinko.

[Chris L]

All I know is that it was ordered by his great grandmother to celebrate an achievement.  Can you tell me more about Mizuaki?

[SteveM]

I don't know anything about this person. It's just the name that is inscribed on the sword. It's a slightly unusual family name.

It doesn't mention the reason for the presentation of the sword. I think someone may have misinterpreted 功二 (Kōji) as some kind of achievement, but my reading is that 水書功二 is the name of the person for whom the sword was for, and Kinko is the name of Kōji's great-grandmother. She ordered it for him. The smith's great grandmother wouldn't order it for the smith.  

 

 

[Chris L]

[C0D]

Here's the publication that shows that Yoshihara Kuniie was ranked best of the East (highlighted), best of the West was Gassan Sadamitsu, that later changed his name in Gassan Sadaichi and became Living National Treasure.

 

I also want to spend a word about Chris, despite being new on the forum i know him personally and he's reliable, helped me many times purchasing and exporting blades from Japan.

[Lewis B]

16 hours ago, Chris L said:

Hello Chris, What feature have you encircled in red in the top image?

[C0D]

50 minutes ago, Lewis B said:

Hello Chris, What feature have you encircled in red in the top image?

I think that's the area with rust

[Chris L]

This is the rust spot.  

[Mister Gunto]

Beautiful blade!

[Chris L]

On 7/9/2024 at 11:58 PM, Mister Gunto said:

Beautiful blade!

Thank you very much.  Are you interested?

 

[Chris L]

On 7/4/2024 at 3:18 PM, Lewis B said:

Hello Chris, What feature have you encircled in red in the top image?

 

[Chris L]

1 minute ago, Chris L said:

 

That is the rust spot on the blade.