Mino Den Naoe Shizu 美濃伝

The MINO den and the Naoe Shizu

Source:  http://www.sho-shin.com/kaneuji.html

This is a Tachi by Naoe Shizu Kanenaga from the Mino den with the HBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper. Kaneuji, one of the Masamune Juttetsu, established his forge at Shizu in Mino province. As such, Shizu has become to be used interchangeably with the Kaneuji for identification. Later his students Kanetomo, Kanetsugu, Kanetomo, and Kanenobu etc established their foge at Naoe in Mino and became known as Naoe Shizu.

This Tachi is from the late Nanbokucho era to early Muromachi era. This is a unique Tachi as rarely do the HBTHK put down the period at which the Tachi were made, but this one has the period written on the certificate. In addition, many of the Naoe Shizu school's katana were mumei, unsigned. Collecting signed Tachi will help new collector like me as it gave the much informations needed. In addition with the certification, it will also made my brining the katana back to Singapore easier as I could proof to the Police that it's a real antique from the early Muromachi era. I am very happy and proud to be able to find this Tachi..

Cutting edge : 70.5cm

Sori: 1.8cm

Jigane: Strong Itami-Hada and Masame-hada

Hamon: Suguha and Ko-gunome with Ko-Nie

Boshi: Sugu-Komaru nijyuha gokoro

Signature: Kanenaga 

Koshirae: Shirasaya

This rare tachi by Naoe Shizu Kanenaga and has a length of 70.5cm and a lovely curvature. It dates back 650 years to a significant time in Japanese history called the Nambokrcho period – also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period. During this era, there existed a Northern Imperial Court in Kyoto, and a Southern Imperial Court in Nara. Ideologically, the two courts fought bitterly for fifty years, with the South giving up to the North in 1392. As the old Tachi was made as a weapon, to be able to be kept in good condition is not an easy task.

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To gather a Gokaden is every collectors' dream...