Superb Edo era (17th Century) Wakizashi by Shigekane

(Signed: Chikushu-ju Minamoto Nobukuni SHIGEKANE)

Shinto middle of Edo period (Kyoho era/circa A.D.1716) Chikuzen
Length of cutting edge 49.7cm Curvature 1.3cm Width of base 30.1mm Thickness of base 7.1mm Width of Yokote 21.8mm

Blade construction : Shinogi zukuri Iori-mune, Mihaba is wide and amble thickness/rich in hiraniku. There is an upper pointed ordinal curve leading to a large tip. The entire blade has a dignified massive bearing.

Forging (Hada) : Hada is fine itame-hada which is well kneaded and mixing in with flawing masame-hada on both temper area and shinogi-ji surface. There is thick ji-nie, sparkling hardened granules over the surface that generates thick nie lines so called Chikei activity. The entire forging and steel is clear, vivid and strong impressively.

Temper line (Hamon) : Hamon is nie-based, starts with shallow wavy, and then mixing in with small and large box-shape gunome, splashed temper marks (tobiyaki/shima) and outstanding thick nie lines like a close resembles to a river stream so called SUDARE-HA.

Tang (Nakago) : Nakago is UBU, unaltered. horizontal file marks, there is mass on the back ridge, The kengyo (V-shape) heel. One peg hole. There is large and proudly chiselled eight character signature that starts with a living place [Chiku-shu-ju], and the assuming a name of [Minamoto], then smith name [Nobu-kuni Shige-Kane].

Temper of tip (Boshi) : Temper of tip in front is that large gunome which is tighen in the middle and then shallow wavy with a large gunome with brushing up at the summit deeply turn back. The reversed side is a large Gunome underneath yokote ridge and shallow wavy with a large gunome, hakikake bruising up with deeply tunes back.

The 12th generation NOBOKUNI YOSHISADA had come to Chikuzen-province from Buzen along with KRODA NAGAMASA in the 7th year of Keicho (1602) and established CHIKUZEN NOBUKUNI family. He was a very famous expert at making FUKURO-YARI spears. This is an elaborate work of NOBUKUNI SHIGEKANE who is a son of YOSHIKANE. In the 6th year of KYOHO the Yoshimune Shogun invited SHIGEKANE to the SHIBAHAMA palace in Edo province to make katana and was given glorious award with smith MASAKIYO, YASUYO and SHIGEKUNI. He was allowed to chisel an ICHIYO-AOI crest underneath HABAKI collar and changed his name to MASAKANE. Among those works of CHIKUSHU NOBUKUNI families, those of SHIGEKANE are quite rare. Most of his works are signed [CHIKUZEN-JU MINAMOTO NOBUKUNI SHIGEKANE]. The entire construction of this wakizashi warps deeply and heroically heavy even the thickness of Nakago does. There is rich and massive in Hiraniku and Jigane is strikingly vivid and clearly covered in thick Ji-nie. The Hamon skips lively with active nie activity such as sunagashi and kinsen that creates SUDARE-HA like a river streams. Boshi waves and hakikake turn deeply back. Nakago is unaltered and mint condition with nice patina with one original peg hole. Gold layer habaki collar and set in Shirasaya mounting. The similar works of SHIGEKANE is quite rare and seldom seen and this wakizashi has an impression of great dignity.
Passed away, in the day of 10th, 12th month, the 13th year of KYOUHO(1728), was 56 years old.