MASAMUNE LINEAGE A Fine and Large Soshū Wakizashi in Superb Mounts Muromachi (1333-1573) or Momoyama (1573-1615) period, 15th/16th century Of hirazukuri, mitsumune configuration with a thick kasane and a wide mihaba forged in flowing itame hada mixed with mokume hada with visible jinie, the tempered edge chōji midare based in nie with ashi, sunagashi, and utsuri, ending in a midare komi bōshi, the omote side chiseled with a fine horimono of a guardian deity riding on the head of a scaly dragon, the ura side with a craggy plum tree in blossom, the ubu tang of tanago-bara (fish-belly) shape with three holes (one plugged) and indistinct file marks, inscribed Sagami kuni no jūnin Masamune and with spurious date Jōwa ninen hachigatsu no hi (A day in the eighth month of 1346), with a one-piece gilt habaki the 19th century aikuchi goshira-e comprising a gold nashiji saya and tsuka decorated with roundels of the 12 animals of the zodiac with various flowering plants of the corresponding months of the year in gold, silver, and red takamaki-e against a ground of Gyōbu nashiji, the kojiri, kurikata, and fuchi-gashira decorated with paulownia and chrysanthemum crests and scrolling vines in gold hirazōgan on a polished iron ground Nagasa (length from tip of blade to beginning of the tang) 57.7cm (22 3/4in) long, 6.3cm (2 1/2in) wide. Footnotes: Provenance: Mole H. Benn Published, Exhibited and Illustrated: The Ashmolean Museum, To-ken: an Exhibition of Japanese Swords & Other Items Representing the Martial Arts from the 4th to the 20th Century, Oxford, 1968, pp.41,57, pl.11, no.136 For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing