Ordering number:22355
Tanto in Shirasaya with Box(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)
Signature: Ouji Denka Gotanjo Kinen Tame Miyoshi Tokumatsu Shi
皇子殿下御誕生記念 為三好徳松氏
Showa 6 Nen 3 Gatsu Kichijitsu Gassan Sadakatsu Kinsaku(Kao)
昭和六年三月吉日 月山貞勝僅作(花押)
Hand writing on the box(translation): Commemorating the birth of crown prince, for the demand of Miyoshi Tokumatsu.
(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Jyo Jyo saku ranking.
The blade is polished.
Habaki: Gold foiled single Habaki(rare for Gassan Sadakatsu)
Blade length:25.9cm or 10.19inches.
Mekugi:1
Width at the hamachi:2.55cm or 1.00inches.
Kasane:0.56cm or 0.22inches.
The weight of the sword:150grams
Era: Showa 6(1931)
Shape: The blade is slightly broad with Mitsumune shape.
Jigane: Koitamehada is grained well to be elaborate. Ayasugihada.
Hamon: Niedeki Suguha Hamon. Very dense to be beautiful Hamon.
Special feature: Gassan Sadakatsu was born as the second son
of the First Gassan Sadakazu in 1869. Sadakatsu was a representative swordsmith of Taisho to early Showa period. He was an amazing swordsmith to make all of Soshu-den, Bizen-den and Yamato-den. Especially his distinctive Ayasugi-hada inherits the tradition that has been continued from the Kamakura period still lives on in gendai swordsmiths. Under his famous father Sadakazu the First, Sadakatsu forged only a few swords inscribed his swordsmith name until the death of Sadakazu in the late Taisho era. Sadakatsu put all his energies into making his own sword after 1920’s as a purveyor to the Imperial Household, special swords to dedicate the Ise-Jingu shrine, accepting orders by high dignitaries. He tempered sword with sincere and faithful attitude in conformity with Shintoism. Under that he trained many excellent swordsmiths. His two most excellent pupils, one was his real son the Second Gassan Sadakazu and the other was Takahashi Sadatsugu, were designated as preservers of Important Intangible Cultural Assets, popularly known as Living National Treasures. Sadakatsu passed away in 1943, aged 74. This work has Gassan(Ayasugi)hada and very difficult to get recently. Gassan Sadakatsu was the most well-known swordsmith from the Taisho to the Showa period. The most excellent point about him is that he was good at all styles like Soshuden, Bizenden, Yamatoden, and Yamashiroden. Gassan school has succeeded in recreating Ayasugihada, that was once lost. This production method is classified as strictly confidential and succeeded to today. This blade is a masterpiece we can see Ayasugihada directly.
From Aoi Art: Gassan Sadakatsu had to have made this blade very elaborately, especially for a man whose name is Miyoshi Tokumatsu. Miyoshi Tokumatsu ran a mine in Fukuoka prefecture. He started with a member of the village assembly, and finally was elected as a member of the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, he passed away only 5 months after this blade was finished. We can see the hidden Ayasugihada under well-made Jigane. Hand writing by Gassan Sadakatsu and gold-foiled single Habaki: we easily know that they thought that the money is no object. We truly recommend this rare piece of art to you.
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token paper
Aoi Art estimation paper:whole Oshigata by Ayaka Tsuruta