An Ietsugu Tachi (備前国住家次)

Ietsugu was a swordsmith of the Bizen Osafune school, active in the Ôei era circa 1394-1428. Records identify him as a student of Yukiyoshi, who flourished during the Kôei era from 1342 to 1345. This curvy and slender tachi is dated to August 1408 – signed and dated on its ubu nakago in full: Bizen no Kuni jû Ietsugu, Ôei jûgonen hachigatsu hi. At over 617 years old, it is a genuine survivor of early Muromachi Japan in remarkably collectable condition.

The jihada is one of the most compelling aspects of this blade. The steel shows a flowing itame-hada mixed with deep swells of nagare-hada, which borders on ayasugi-hada in appearance – a characteristic more commonly associated with the Naminohira and Gassan schools than with Bizen. Clear bô-utsuri reflects beautifully along the blade body in classic Bizen fashion. The hamon is a composed suguha with fine uchinoke and subtle nezumi-ashi, giving the blade a quietly refined, old-soul character entirely appropriate to its age.

The sword is housed in a splendid late Edo period koshirae that celebrates the natural world throughout. The fuchi-kashira – signed by Mogarashi Sôten of Gôshû Hikone and certified to the middle Edo period by NTHK-NPO – features autumn flowers, chrysanthemums, and foliage in richly worked gold on a shakudô ground. Spider and ant menuki continue the garden theme, while the round iron sukashi tsuba, with its kiku and nami motif attributed to the Itô school of Edo province, completes an ensemble of exceptional coherence and quality.