Posted 07/11/2008

 

This Sword was stolen while in transit from Chicago IL to Austin TX

It was being transported by a moving company called... Best Price Moving

on 6/28/2008

 

 

 

HIZEN MASAHIRO I GENERATION
 

 This blade was produced in Hizen province, by 1st. Generation Masahiro, c - 1624 AD. (average working date). He was a contemporary of Hizen Tadahiro, and one of the finest makers of the Tadayoshi school, both he and Tadahiro were sword makers to the famous "NABESHIMA DAIMYO FAMILY".  He is rated "upper class" (Jo - Saku). The first name he used as a sword smith was Masanaga, his given name was Sadenjiro, he received this from his father Yoshinobu.  His rather short, but prolific career ended in Kan-bun the 5th. Year, or 1665 ad., at the age of "59" years. His works are seldom seen, and quite scarce. Nidai Masahiro, the son of Shodai Masahiro, was born in 1627 and also began his career using the mei Masanaga. The two Masahiro smiths are known best for their use of midare-ba. IT IS IN SUPERB CONDITION, AND HAS A FRESH POLISH, WITH A TSUNAGI (WOODEN BLADE), AND SHIRA-SAYA ( STORAGE SCABBARD ). THERE ARE NO FLAWS.

 The school of Tadayoshi in Hizen was started by Shodai (1st) Tadayoshi around 1598, who studied under Umetada Myoju. "Masahiro" was a student, and "great grandson of Shodai Tadayoshi", his father Yoshinobu also assisted in his teachings.  Masahiro started signing swords using the name Masanaga. (Masahiro also used to sign swords for Tadayoshi when he became ill (dai mei). "Lord Nabeshima" had seen the skill he had and told him he should start signing his works as Masahiro. (given the character “hiro” by the lord). He eventually had his own line of students working under him, even training Nidai Tadahiro (2nd). The swords of Hizen were among the most popular in Japans history, with orders being placed from all over the country; some being gifted to foreign dignitaries from the Shogun. The Tadayoshi name lived for close to 300 years, finally ending with 9th generation in 1880.

 The Hizen schools notable characteristics were that all katana were signed tachi mei, with wakizashi and tanto signed katana mei. The preferred style of hamon was suguba, midare and notare (with some examples of choji-midare) with brilliant nie; (The mainline Tadayoshi smiths mastered the Rai school style of suguba hamon).  Hada was typically very tightly forged ko-mokume (often referred to nashiji hada). The sori of their swords was considered nearly perfect for cutting among the samurai.


 
In the late 16th century, the feudal lord Nabeshima Naoshige would write a set of wall inscriptions for his followers. Historians describe the wall inscriptions as "Everyday wisdom, rather than house laws proper" Lord Nabeshima's written works also include a mention of bushido:
"Bushido is in being crazy to die. Fifty or more could not kill one such a man"

In 1584, Nabeshima Naoshige was the chief retainer for the Lord of Hizen until he was killed in battle by the forces of the powerful Shimazu Clan. After his lord's death, Nabeshima became the true leader of the fiefdom and fought against the Shimazu again in 1587. A Sengoku era warlord, Nabeshima distinguished himself in battle by killing hundreds of men. He was later sent on Hideyoshi's Korean campaigns where he struck up a friendship with Kato Kiyomasa and upon his return to Hizen, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

At Sekigahara, Lord Nabeshima's son, Katsushige, was convinced to take sides against Tokugawa Ieyasu. Nabeshima wisely recalled him to attack Toku­gawa's enemies in Kyushu, thus saving the clan from disaster. Historians describe Nabeshima as "a survivor and a man of quick intelligence" who saved his domain from invasion several times. His actions and sayings are immortalized in the third chapter of the Hagakure by writer Tsunetomo Yamamoto, a close attendant of Nabeshima Naoshige's grandson, Mitsushige.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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