Item: Japanese Sword In Mountings, Hand Forged Gendai Sadashige
Sold For: $4,162.00
Bids: 34
Date: Apr 09, 2012
Auction: Ebay
Seller: showa22
Description and Image By: showa22
This is a Japanese sword in type 98 mountings. The blade is signed “Sadashige Nyudo saku 貞重入道作, dated Showa Juroku-nen Go-gatsu hi (a day May. 1941)昭和十六年五月日”, shinogi-zukuri o-kissaki (long point) shape. Sadashige’s real name is Imai Takeshige, born in 1891 in Ehime prfecture. He studied under Takahashi Yoshimune, Sadatsugu (living national Treasure), made swords as a gendai smith during WWll time period (ca.1940) and after the war, listed in John Slough’s book page 150 and rated 2 Million Yen smith. Sadashige made high quality swords for Generals, colonels and Yamashita Hobun was one of General who carried Sadashige’s blade. The blade is traditional hand-forged, water tempered blade, in original WWll time polish, shows aged tiny scratches on surface but no rust, no stain and in near mint condition. The temper line is wavy gunome-choji with ko-nie(crystal) active temper pattern and has deep turn back temper at the point. The tight itame-hada forging is clearly visible throughout the blade and no forging flaws at all. There is no nick, no bend, no opening, no crack temper and cutting edge is very sharp. The scabbard is heavy metal scabbard, with 実用新案特許(patented) 213917 stamped kojiri, no dent, no bend and in mint condition. The handle is tight fit, tsuka-ito wrapping is no cut, no loose also in mint condition. The tsuba is pierced brass tsuba number 3 stamped and no number on seppa. The lock pin mechanism works perfect and tight fit to the scabbard. There is silver owner’s family name “Sakurai 桜井” on kabutogane. blade measures 28″ tip to the guard, 27″ cutting edge , 1+1/4″ width, 7mm thickness at the notch and 40″ in mountings.