説明
「刀姿 sword figure」
体配は両刃造り、鎬は高い。は生で鑢目は筋違い、茎尻は先浅い剣形。
「地鉄 jigane」
地鉄は、小板目肌が極めて良く詰んだ美しい地鉄は、細やかな流れ肌を交え、細美な地沸が微塵に厚く付き地鉄精良。
「刃紋 hamon」
刃文は、締まった美しい直刃に、刃縁に葉、小足を配し、刃中は匂い深い。 釯子、直刃調で焼き詰め。
「特徴 detailed」
天田昭次は昭和2年、新潟県北蒲原郡本多村（現新発田市本田）生まれ、9歳の時に、父天田貞吉と死別、昭和15年には上京し、日本刀鍛錬伝習所で栗原彦三郎の門人となります。この時兄弟子には宮入昭平（行平）がいた。戦後昭和30年代に入るとメキメキと頭角を現し、新作刀展では、毎年優秀賞を受賞したが、これからという33歳の頃大病を患い、復活まで8年掛かる。その後、鍛刀を再開するに当たって、新発田市月岡の温泉街の外れに、自宅兼鍛刀場、『豊月山（ほうげつさん）鍛刀場』を構える。不撓不屈の精神で復活した昭次は、ここから快進撃が始る。昭和47年には無鑑査、昭和52年、60年、平成8年に、刀剣界の最高賞である『正宗賞』を三度受賞、同賞三度受賞は、隅谷正峯、大隅俊平に次いで三例目ですが、山城伝、相州伝、備前伝と、全て異なる作風で受賞したのは昭次のみです。平成9年には人間国宝となり、平成25年、85歳にて鬼籍に入る。
本作は、精緻な地鉄の鍛えに、調和のとれた直刃を焼いた逸品です。天田昭次刀匠の剣の作品は少なく貴重です、この機会をお見逃しなく！
Akitsugu Amada was born in 1927 (Showa 2) in Honda Village, Kitakanbara District, Niigata Prefecture (now Honda, Shibata City). At the age of nine, he lost his father, Amada Sadayoshi. In 1940 (Showa 15), he moved to Tokyo and became a disciple of Kurihara Hikosaburo at the Japanese Sword Forging Training Institute, where his senior fellow student was Miyairi Akihira (later known as Yukihira).
In the postwar Showa 30s (1955–1965), he quickly rose to prominence, winning awards of excellence every year at the New Sword Exhibitions. However, at the age of 33, just as his career was taking off, he was struck by a serious illness, and it took eight years before he was able to return. Upon resuming his work, he established his home and forge, the “Hogetsusan Forging Studio,” on the outskirts of the Tsukioka hot spring area in Shibata City.
From this point, Amata’s remarkable comeback began. In 1972 (Showa 47), he was designated Mukansa (exempt from competition judging). He went on to win the Masamune Prize—the highest award in the sword world—three times, in 1977 (Showa 52), 1985 (Showa 60), and 1996 (Heisei 8). He was only the third smith to achieve this honor, after Sumitani Masamine and Osumi Toshihira, but uniquely, Amata was the only swordsmith to win the prize with works in three distinct traditions: Yamashiro-den, Soshu-den, and Bizen-den.
In 1997 (Heisei 9), he was designated a Living National Treasure, and he passed away in 2013 (Heisei 25) at the age of 85.
This piece is a masterpiece, forged with an exquisitely refined jigane and featuring a harmoniously balanced suguha hamon. Works of ken (straight-bladed swords) by Amada Akitsugu are few and highly valuable—do not miss this opportunity!
｢拵 Koshirae｣
ハバキ(habaki) ：銀無垢一重の腰祐乗。
鞘(saya) :白鞘。
｢刀剣の状態 condition of blade｣
研：良好です。
傷：傷は有りません。
