Wakizashi by Kurihara Kenji Nobuhide (栗原謙司信秀), 20.5" OA, Accompanied by Book

Japanese Armory; Nobuhide, Kurihara Kenji, 栗原謙司信秀
$9,500.00
  • SKU: 250389
  • Blade Length: 14
  • Overall Length: 20.5

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Description

Wakizashi by Kurihara Kenji Nobuhide (栗原謙司信秀), 20.5" OA, Accompanied by Book, Shown on Page 132

Blade Length: 14"
Overall Length: 20.5"

The swordsmith, Kurihara Kenji Nobuhide (栗原謙司信秀), began his early career as a sickle maker under the teaching of Sanjo and followed this by becoming a mirror maker in Kyoto in 1829. These experiences led him to apprenticing with Master Swordsmith Kiyomaro in  1850. After a two year apprenticeship with Kiyomaro he went out on his own as a swordsmith. Nobuhide earned a stellar reputation as one of the finest horimono carvers of the shinshinto period. Nobuhide is considered to be on a par with Kiyomaro as to quality. After the Haitorei edict that banned the wearing and carrying of swords by Samurai, Swordsmiths were no longer engaged in sword making. Nobuhide was one of the rare exceptions and continued forging under the favor of the Meiji Emperor. Nobuhide was ordered by the Emperor to make 18 swords. In 1873 at the World Exposition in Vienna he exhibited swords to show Japan's national prestige. This wakizashi is of a Hira Zukuri form and has a horimono of three deities carved in the bo hi ( groove). On  the reverse there is a large bo hi which gives the blade a balanced  look that is aesthetically pleasing. The forging is a mix of itame (wood grain) some small mokume ( burl pattern). Hamon is a beautiful gunome and midare with many activities inside the hamon. It is accompanied by a full koshirae mounted on a tsunagi. The blade is housed in a shirasaya. The blade is NBTHK certified Hozon attesting to the validity of the signature and the quality of the blade. It is accompanied also with a book about Nobuhide.

Nobuhide became an independent swordsmith in the fifth year of the Ka-Ei era (1852). In the first year of the Keio era (1865), he received an honorable official title Chikuzen no Kami (筑前守) from the emperor Komei. He stayed in Sagami province (today’s Kanagawa prefecture) during 1853-1854. And he resided in Osaka between 1864-1867. In his early career, he signed Nobuhide (信秀) and then changed it to Kurihara Kenji Nobuhide (栗原謙司信秀). 

Photography by Mitchell D. Cohen

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CREDIT CARDS:

Your billing address & shipping address must match and we will not ship to any other address other than your billing address. All credit card orders (online & phone) will be held for review before being approved. We may be obligated to call you directly and request a copy of your I.D. in order to approve your credit card charge.

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Please contact us within three days of receipt for a refund of the cost of the knife: studio@farinafinearts.com. Shipping and insurance charges are not refundable. You are required to ship the knife back using FedEx and it must be fully insured. Returns are subject to a 10% restocking fee and processing fees. All items must be returned in the same exact condition as it was received. Most custom knives are guaranteed by the makers we represent and most factory knives carry the manufacturer's warranty. We do not guarantee the durability of natural handle materials (such as bone, wood, pearl, etc...) or the reaction of any material to water and air (rust, oxidation, etc.)  If an item needs to be returned due to our error, we may offer a full refund at our discretion. Any condition visible in our product pictures is considered to be disclosed and does not constitute an error or omission on our part.

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