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SC0160

Rare Gokenin child katana, Edo era

This is a specially made katana to the son by a daimyo (warlord) to commemorate Genpuku or birthday.

The blade is very healthy and has no forging flaws with straight suguha cutting edge, and muji hada.

10 inch cutting edge 16 inches total length.

The listing photo shows the tanto after restoration.

The 2nd photo is when it was found.

Fittings consist of a small copper tsuba with flower theme which is art itself with matching flower fuchi. A stylish brass habaki, and tsuka.

Scabbard-saya is very well done by a skilled artist with family crests on both sides with raised subdued maple leaves. There is a kogai knife and the kurigata is made of black horn.

Copper handled kogai utility knife that is signed and in very good condition.

Araoke, who were gokenin. They were initially a vassal of the shogunate of the Kamakura and the Muromachi periods. In exchange for protection and the right to become shugo (governor) or jito(manor's lord), in times of peace a gokenin had the duty to protect the imperial court and Shogunate, in case of war had to fight with his forces under the shogun's flag.

From the middle of the thirteenth century, the fact that gokenin were allowed to become de facto owners of the land they administered, coupled to the custom that all gokenin children could inherit, brought to the parcelization of the land, led to a consequent weakening of the shogunate.

Price : NOT FOR SALE

 

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