| SHODAI(1st Gen) HIZEN TADAKUNI DAISHO
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| DAITO SUGATA: SHINOGI ZUKURI DATE: NONE NAGASA: 71.12cm (28") MIHABA: 2.97cm (1.188") HAMON: CHU-SUGUHA IN NIOI
DEKI BOTH SWORDS ARE IN SHIRASAYA. ____________________________________________ SHOTO SUGATA: SHINOGI ZUKURI DATE: NONE NAGASA: 45.72cm (18") MIHABA: 2.97cm (1.188") HAMON: EXUBERANT CHOJI
MADAREBA BOTH SWORDS ARE IN SHIRASAYA.
SHODAI (1st Gen.) HIZEN TADAKUNI SHINTO c. 1648 HIZEN JOSAKU / WAZAMONO The Hizen Tadayoshi school of sword smith's needs no introduction, and are highly prized worldwide. It all began with the Shodai Tadayoshi who was born in 1572, and known as Hashimoto Shinsaemonjo. Shodai Tadayoshi at age 25 became an apprentice to Umetada Myoju in Kyoto, who is known as the founder of the Shinto Sword. The "Tada" character was given to him by Umetada. After a three year apprenticeship Tadayoshi returned to his home in Hizen Province, where he set up the Hizen Tadayoshi Kaji. The Hizen Tadayoshi Kaji extended through nine mainline generations, ending with the death of the 9th generation Hizen Tadayoshi in 1880. Roger Robertshaw, author of the book "The School of Tadayoshi", is one of the foremost authorities and collectors of the Hizen Tadayoshi School. In his book, Mr. Robertshaw states, "The Tadayoshi line were the mainline swordsmiths, but equally as good works were produced by their family and students such as Tadakuni and their descendents." As well he states, "Anyone who has had the chance to handle the works of Shodai Tadakuni will readily attest to their quality. Blades by this master will immediately impress you as awesome and powerful weapons. The 1st generation or Shodai Hizen Tadakuni was the son of Hizen Yoshiie. Hizen Yoshiie, the brother and student of Shodai Tadayoshi, worked c. 1625, and his works were rated Josaku. Hizen Tadakuni Shodai, was known to have produced swords of equal quality of any the mainline Tadayoshi smith's. Shodai Tadakuni's works were rated Josaku by Fujishiro for his skill and Wazamono in the "Kokin Kaji Bikosen" by Yamada Asauemon Yoshichika. This Katana or Daito is a superb testament to the skill of this swordsmith. The photos come nowhere close to conveying the quality, skill nor the powerful feeling it gives in hand. The above average nagasa length of 28" plus the sheer beefiness of it combine in such a way that when held, you know it means business. It exhibits the exquisite Konuka Hada for which the Hizen School was so well known and the thick nioi in the hamon is as fine as I have seen. The Wakizashi or Shoto is as well a testament to the skill and even more so the beauty of works produced by Tadakuni. While quite beefy and stout in it's own right, this wakizashi exhibits ten fold in beauty what the Katana exhibits in power. The hada is an incredibly sweet konuka with some very small areas of tight, fine Itame. The Hamon and the activity found in it just explode in your face. It has damn near everything you ever wanted to see in a sword but were afraid to ask. There is kinsuji, inazuma, sunagashi, nioi kuzure or yo, nie kozure, nie sake, nijuba, kuichigaba, tobiyaki and probably more. It seems that every time I pick it up I see something new. I apologize for my inability to capture the true beauty of these two swords on film. The provided photos do not even come close to their actual beauty. In hand you will be amazed and impressed. It is easy to see why Roger Robertshaw would say, "Blades by this master will immediately impress you as awesome and powerful weapons." Both of these swords were awarded Tokubetsu Hozon Papers by the NBTHK for their quality as well as authentication of their mei. Sadly, the papers were accidentally lost after I sold them the first time and are no longer available with the swords. I originally brought these swords out of Japan several years ago, and can attest to the papers as they were my property. Fortunately I made photographic copies for my records, a copy of which will be sent with the swords. The lack of papers does not alter the quality of work or beauty exhibited, nor does it make these swords any less the extremely fine works they are. If you have ever considered of adding representative works of Hizen Tadakuni to your collection, you need look no further. This Daisho totally and completely exemplifies the chu-suguha and exuberant midareba for which Shodai Tadakuni was famous for.
$26,000 USD
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