Archived Nihonto.ca (Yuhindo.com): Tameie
Tameie
| period: | Shinto (ca. 1624) |
| designation: | NTHK Shinteisho |
| nakago: | ubu, mei Bitchu no Kuni Shibe ju Kawano Riheinojo Tameie, one mekugiana |
| nagasa: | 45.7 |
| motohaba: | 4.1cm |
| sakihaba: | 2.85cm |
| horimono: | sashiomote Hachiman Dai Bosatsu, ura branch and plum blossom |
| price: | N/A |
This is a consignment piece by Bitchu Tameie; a wakizashi made for the Koto Shrine. For me it is this kind of item that makes Nihonto photography a pleasure, given its interesting horimono and (to understate) its robust dimensions.
Tameie worked around 1624 according to Fujishiro, who rates him at Jo-saku, for high quality of craftsmanship. He is considered to be the younger brother of Saburohei Kunishige and Fujishiro notes that he was also called Asabe Mizuta.
This wakizashi is signed with a long signature, and bears a hamon of bright gunome midare based nie. In one of the photographs (number 9) they appear so bright as to look raised off the surface of the sword.
There is no way to really describe the massive feeling of this blade unless it is held. Even the shirasaya is unusually large to accomodate its dimensions. Jie nie are sprinkled throughout the ko-itame hada, and interesting yubashiri are present, one of which crosses through the shinogi and touches the mune. There is one small notch in the ha, and a couple of pits due to rust at some point in its life. All are pictured in the slideshow.
It remains in excellent health, and often times interesting horimono can be worn down into nearly nothing by repeated polishes. These remain deep and almost totally intact, and are a pleasure to study and photograph.