Superb Kanei era (early 17th Century) Wakizashi by Kunisuke

(Signed: Kawachi-no-kami Fujiwara KUNISUKE (1st gen.))

Early Edo period (Kanei era/about 370 years ago) Settsu
Length of cutting edge 39.4cm Curve 1.0cm Width of base 31.6mm Width of Yokote 28.5mm Thickness of base 8.0mm

The first gen. KUNISUKE was born in Kanbe, Ise province (now in Suzuka-city). He was a Jo-Saku and Wazamono rated smith. It is assumed that he was born very early in the Keicho period (very early 17th century). He moved to Kyoto and became a disciple of a well-known great master Horikawa KUNIHIRO on about 16-17th year of Keio (A.D.1611-1612). He studied under the tutorship of Echigo-no-kami KUNITOMO. After master KUNIHIRO passed away, he moved to Osaka which was a very busy City. He was bestowed the Kawachi-no-kami title from the Imperial Court in early Kanei period. He had refined KUNIHIRO's workmanship and sublimate it into a beauty of art that fascinated both the Samurais and merchants of Osaka. The subject brave and heroic wakizashi would be made around early 30 plus years of age. It is strongly influenced by the work of Izumi-no-kami KANESADA (the best cutting performance) style and certainly successfully expressed. The forging was fine and the steel was selected carefully. The blade exhibits glittering ji-nie metal granules spread uniformly in the Hiraji surface. In the interior of the temper exhibits sunagashi and kinsen like a mumur of brook and the entire temper is filled in with deep nie and nioi mist. This sword shape is wide and very thick in kasane leading to a large and heroical tip, which is very impressive and one can still feel the medieval brave samurai spirits right after the Final Battle Osaka Natsu-no-jin between Tokugawa and Toyotomi. The first gen. KUNISUKE passed away in the 30th, the fifth month, fourth year of Shouho (A.D.1647).

This Wakizashi koshirae fitting, is an original and complete era koshirae. It consists of iron Fuchi/kashira and Kozuka - Gourd motif gold/copper inlay, Menuki is Shakudo yobori plow Bamboo leaves and tiger design (gold iroe). The tsuba is an iron turtle shell pattern and small openwork signed NOBUIE. Although there are some repair marks here and there on sheath, also some of gold inlay VINE of Kozuka was missed off, the entire koshirae still keeps an original state and possible nearly best condition for it age of 370 years ago.
This beautiful wakizashi was freshly polished recently and set in a new shira-saya mounting.