A Fine Shinto Period Handachi Mounted Armour & Kabuto Cleaving Katana Signed Nobutsugu, With a Fabulous Notare Hamon, Handachi Mounted with Tsuba Of Watanabe no Tsuna and The Rashomon Demon, Ibaraki-Dōji, At The Gate of the Modoribashi Bridge

Blade signed Nobutsuna, likely Higo kuni Dotanuki Nobutsuna, of circa 1590. The original Edo period urushi lcquer is stunning, designed and a combination of black over dark red that is, with incredibly subtlety, relief surface carved with bark grain and dragonflies. Truly wonderous skill is demonstrated in this fabulous design, that is almost invisible to the unobservant eye. A masterpiece of the urushi lacquer art.Tsuba in copper, type Maru gata of the legend of Watanabe no Tsuna and the Rashomon demon tells of the 10th-century warrior who fought and severed the arm of an oni (demon) named Ibaraki at Kyoto's ruined Rashomon Gate, the Modoribashi Bridge, a story popular in Japanese folklore, art (like ukiyo-e prints), and theatre, culminating in the demon tricking Tsuna into returning the arm by disguising itself as his aunt.The blade is extraordinary, that although it is not long it is immensely powerful, and possesses the thickness and power of an armour & helmet piercing sword. Specifically designed for an incredibly strong cut that would cleave a samurai within his armour and kabuto helmet clean in two. Or, even possibly, as it bears the tsuba of Watanabe no Tsuna the samurai that cleaved an arm off the demon of the Rashomon gate, it symbolises a sword so powerful it could even cut through the arm of an Oni demon.Full suite of handachi mounts on the tsuka and saya, of brass engraved with florid scrolls, menuki of gilt takebori flowers,golden brown tsukaito over traditional samegawa.The blade has a fabulous notare hamon, that is wonderfully defined. The blade has been at some time lacquered for protection, which has done an excellent job , but it is not traditional, so we are having the lacquer removed and blade traditionally conserved, it appears in current photos in the gallery to have a hamon on the mune edge, we hoping this is the case once it is cleaned.Han-dachi originally appeared during the Muromachi period when there was a transition taking place from Tachi to katana. The sword was being worn more and more edge up when on foot, but edge down on horseback as it had always been. The handachi is a response to the need to be worn in either style. The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict 'code' that defined their clothes, armour and behavior on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry.The story told by the tsuba;One stormy night, Watanabe no Tsuna, a retainer of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, waited at the dilapidated Rashomon Gate. A demon, Ibaraki-doji, attacked him, tugging at his helmet.Tsuna, a valiant warrior, drew his sword and sliced off the demon's arm in a fierce struggle.The demon fled, leaving its arm behind, which Tsuna took as a trophy and locked in a chest.A few days later, an old woman, claiming to be Tsuna's aunt (Mashiba), visited him. She asked to see the severed arm, and when Tsuna opened the chest, she revealed herself as Ibaraki, grabbed her arm, and escaped.Watanabe no Tsuna (the hero) and Ibaraki-doji (the demon).The decaying Rashomon Gate in Kyoto, a place associated with ghosts and demons.Themes: Bravery, cunning, supernatural encounters, and the deceptive nature of appearances.This legend became a famous motif in Japanese art, particularly in woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) by artists like Chikanobu and Yoshitoshi, depicting the dramatic fight and the demon's escape.It's a classic tale featured in Noh, Kabuki, and other popular narratives.The condition of all parts is excellent with just a few bruises to the old, original, Edo lacquer surface.Overall 38 inches long, blade 26 inches long habaki to tip.