Yamashiro Kuni Ju Fujiwara Nobu / Katana
S0195
HOLD
$2,250
A suriage shinto katana signed, Yamashiro Kuni Ju Fujiwara Nobu /. Hawatare: 2 shaku 1 sun 5 bu 4 rin (63.8 cm / 25.12"). Motohaba: 3.11 cm. Sakihaba: 2.1 cm. Kasane: 6.4 mm. Suguba, ko-midare, some ko gunome, ashi iri, soft bright habuchi, long kinsuji toward the front of the blade, koichigaiba, nado. The jigane is masame, with ji nie throughout, chikei, nado. The boshi is hakikaki with small kaeri. The blade has some minor scuffing, and should be polished.
Mounted in Russo-Japanese naval tsuka with silver mon, Satsuma saya, gold foil habaki.
I could only find two smiths in the Meikan who signed, Yamashiro kuni ju Fujiwara Nobu/, Nobusada and Nobuyoshi. I think that this may be the work of the first generation Shinano no Kami Nobuyoshi, whose signatures varied a good deal (see examples at bottom from Shinto Taikan, Nihon Toko Jiten - Shinto Hen, and Nihonto Zuikan - Shinto). There are also two Yamashiro Nobuchika, one Nobutaka, one Nobuyasu, but they are all recorded as signing Heianjo. In the final analysis, Nobuyoshi is only a guess, it needs to go to shinsa. I welcome any and all kantei suggestions. $3,200
Minor Chip and Pronounced Masame Hada
Missing Satsuma Style Kaeri-zuno
Examples of Some of The Inconsistencies of The First Generation Nobuyoshi
Note the crowding, with a remnant of the vertical right below the square