Antique 1.50Shaku Wakizashi – Bushu Shitahara-ju Hiroshige

Description

Signature: Bushu Shitahara-ju Hiroshige [武州下原住廣重]
Place of origin: Unknown
Period: Shinto (1684 ~ 1764)

Blade length: 1.50Shaku (45.5cm)
Sori (curvature): 1.5cm
Motohaba: 28.0mm
Motokasane: 5.5mm
Sakihaba: 20.0mm
Sakikasane: 4.0mm
Hamon: Kogunome
Tsuka：One Mekugi hole
Tsuka wrap: Brown Silk Tsuka
Saya: Chatsuya-nuri (Brown gloss)

Weight with Saya: approx. 740grams
Weight without Saya: approx. 600grams

Shitahara Hiroshige was a swordsmith from Musashi (modern day Tokyo prefecture). Shitahara swordsmiths can be traced back to the Sengoku era and lasted well until the Bakumatsu period, making swords that were graded as ‘Wazamono’ and enjoyed a great reputation in the prospering Tokyo area.
It’s said that a well preserved Daito sword made by Shitahara Hiroshige would easily fetch a market price of over 3,000,000yen in current times.