YUKINAGA (ACTIVE CIRCA 1600) A Bungo Takata Wakizashi Momoyama period (1573-1615), circa 1600 Of naginatazukuri configuration forged in running itamehada in jinie with a suguha tempered edge based in nioi and ko-nie with sunagashi ending in a ko-maru bōshi, chiseled on both sides with naginatahi, the machiokuri tang with two holes, kiri file marks, and signed Fujiwara Yukinaga, 15 3/4in (40cm) long; with a two-piece silvered-copper habaki, in a wood shirasaya storage scabbard Footnotes: Accompanied by Kanteisho certificate no. 19190 issued by the Nihon Tōken Hozonkai (The Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Sword), dated June 23, 2024. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing

Saleroom Notice:
Please note that the provenance for this sword is the collection of Sasaki Tadasaburō (1833-1868) as written in the sayagaki by Homma Junji.
Sasaki gained notoriety for assassinating Kiyokawa Hachirō (1830-1863), leader of the rōnin group assigned to protect the Shogun. Sasaki also claimed in confession after his capture to have assassinated Sakamoto Ryōma (1836-1867), staunch opponent of the Tokugawa government, but this fact has been disputed. Sasaki was born into a samurai clan of high position in the Tokugawa government's hierarchy. Befitting of his station, he was made first commander of the Mimawarigumi, the special force of high-ranked samurai responsible for protecting the Imperial palace from potential plots to kidnap the Emperor. Though the Mimawarigumi were ostensibly allied with the Shinsengumi, another special security group in Kyoto, an intense rivalry existed between the two organizations, started in part by Sasaki's resentment of low-born recruits in the rival group. He studied the swordsmanship with the Shintō Seibu-ryū and was soon recognized as the a skilled practitioner, earning him the reputation of being the "best ko-dachi swordsman in Japan" at a young age. He then served as the lead instructor at the Kōbusho (military training academy) in Edo.