Features:

A striking custom ordered blade by Naotane who ranked amongst the top Shinshinto makers. This is a work of master-level, Sai Jo Saku craftsmanship. The style of blade is known as ‘O-Dambira’, a type of hira-zukuri wakizashi characterized by a wide mihaba. Naotane uses this shape as a canvas to create a complex work with multiple layers within a dense gunome apparatus of billowing nie clouds. The sword was a custom order with high quality horimono adorning both sides.

The blade features a robust sugata with a hira-zukuri shape. The blade shows horimono carvings on both sides, including a tsume-ken and Sanskrit bonji on one side, and short gomabashi-hi grooves and another Sanskrit bonji on the other side. The nakago is ubu and first dated Kaei Gan Saru Go Gatsu (May 1848) then signed Fujiwara Naotane with Kakihan and Chia Stamp on the omote. It is additionally signed Ota Masakata Hori Isho Kore Hirohata, then Motte Shintetsu Zou Kore (the blade was made for Ota Masakata) on the ura. The jigane is a well-forged itame hada that mixes at times with a burl mokume. There is prevalent chikei interspersed throughout the ji. The hamon is a superb Soshu-style gunome midare with multiple layers splayed across billowing nie formations. The deep nioi guchi includes both condensed fine nie as well as pockets of large ara nie. Hataraki abound, particularly as flashes of kinsuji and inazuma light up within the nie formations. The hamon finishes in a thick maru boshi.