Features:

A superior custom ordered blade by the founding father of Shinshinto. This is a highly refined work by Suishinshi Masahide and displays his versatility. The sword was a custom order modeled in the style of the Shinto master Inoue Shinkai, illustrating Masahide’s skill working in the Soshu tradition. The blade also exhibits a top class horimono by the foremost carver Honjo Yoshitane. The horimono itself is a masterpiece.

The blade features a strong and stout sugata for a wakizashi. The blade shows horimono carvings on both sides, including a sculptural kurikara dragon entwined with a ken set in relief, the scales on the dragon overlapping like coins. There are short gomabashi-hi grooves and a Sanskrit bonji on the other side. The nakago is ubu and signed Suishinshi Masahide with Kakihan and Kokuin on the omote. It is dated Bunka Jyu Nen Ni Gatsu Kichi Jitsu (February, 1813) with additional signature O Aoyama Ichigoro Chikayuki Ju Zo Kore (the blade was made for Ichigoro Chikayuki) on the ura. The jigane is a refined and sparkling ko-itame hada. The hamon is a superb Soshu-style suguha with deep nioi guchi of profuse nie that descends like snow into the inner hamon. The hamon finishes in a thick maru boshi.