Order number : 17115(Consignment Sale)
Katana in Shirasaya(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Paper)
Signature : Minamoto Kiyomaro
(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku
Jyo saku and regular saku)
This Minamoto Kiyomaro belongs to Saijyo saku (the top) ranking.
The blade was polished by high ranking polisher.
Habaki: Gold foild double Habaki.
Blade length : 76.6 cm or 30.15 inches.
Sori : 1.6 cm or 0.62 inches.
Mekugi : 1
Width at the hamachi : 3.24 cm or 1.27 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 2.59 cm or 1.01 inches.
Kasane : 0.80 cm or 0.31 inches.
Weight of the blade: 1000grams.
Era : Late Edo period.
Shape : The blade is wide and thick long sword
with suitable sori and also long kissaki nice elegant shape.
Jitetsu :itame hada well grained with jinie attach
with chikei work wonderful texture.
Hamon : Niedeki gunome midare with thick nioikuchi.
In Hamon, many sunagashi and long kinsuji work
bright clear hamon. Boshi is very active sosyu style hamon.
Under the hamon, soft feeling yaki.
Special feature : Minamoto Kiyomaro was born at Bunka 10th(1813) Sinano province as second son of Yamaura Masatomo who was a village head Komoro Feudal clan. He went and study By Kawamura Jyukaku(Toshitaka) with his older brother Saneo.
He studied from his master Nioideki style gunome midare.
So first stage of his subject is quite same as his master Toshikaku.
After that he wanted to be samurai and moved to Edo and study at Sugane Kubota by recommendation of Yukinuki Sanada.
Sugane Kubota is well known Military science person　and skill swordman. Kubota understood his technique of sword making and built a sword making place in his house and continued his energy of making sword. Probably he tried hard himself to complete his technology of Sosyu den style sword.
At Tenpo 13th(1842) By Sugane’s effort, He achieved many sword order for Kiyoymaro which is called Bukiko one of 100 swords.
Finay he succeeded to make one of them.
After that he was ordered to go to Cyosyu feudal clan by Sugane Kubota in order to make cut well swords.
He stayed for 2 years and moved to Edo and made fantastic sword for his master Kubota which sword is Tame Kubota Sugane Kun Yamaura Tamaki Minamoto Kiyomaro and Uramei Ko-ka Hinoe Uma 8 gatsuhi(august) 2syaku 6 sun long length of sword. (at this moment the blade is Jyuyo Bijyutu.)Important fine arts.
His sword is called Yotsuya Masamune because his skill looks Masamune and lived Yotsuya. But unfortunately He cut his body by himself(Seppuku) Even right now the reason is unknown.
Probably He couldn’t improve his sosyu den technological pioneering and also difficult to make swords any more against too much orders.
He educated many swordsmith Minamoto Masao, Kurihara Nobuhide and Kiyondo. Especially kiyondo made swords for Kiyomaro which was ordered during his life. So remaining orders were completed and ungrateful was lost.
This sword is the signature is koyomaro and Jigane is perfect.
The Hamon is bright and very clear with fantastic kinsuji and also amaging Kissaki hamon.
many sword makers tried to make Kiyomaro style swords.
It is quite rare to see the Kiyomaro recently because many sword collectors want to obtain Kiyomaro and also he made a few swords made during his life. His grave is located Sohuku temple in Shinjyuku Suga cho.
Many sword collectors visit to his grave one time in a year by chairman Mr Shibata.
My experience story:
I went Lond about 30 years ago in order to attend Sotherby’s auction in order to bid Kiyomaro.
Finaly I bit 50 million yen including company’s commission.
I could buy the sword koyomaro and Mr Niel l Davy who was a director of Japanese department came down from the front desk to me and shake hands to congratulate to me and watched me like to say please pay all of the money. Joke.
Anyway, we recommend this top of Japanese sword.
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token.
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata.
Please note: In regards to this item, we cannot accept the credit card payment.
Please pay by bank transfer.
Price : 29,500,000 JPY-. (including shipping fee to overseas)