Kantei

NH-0002 Rank 40

Kashū-jū Fujiwara Iehira

賀州住藤原家平

Katana signed and dated to the second month of Kanbun 13 (1673) by a smith working for the Maeda of Kaga, with an untouched tang, a single mekugi-ana and a complete mounting.

Shintō (1596-1780)2nd month of Kanbun 13 (1673), auspicious dayKaga (Ishikawa)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Iehira worked in Kanazawa as a smith for the Maeda house, lords of Kaga. The blade measures 69.5 cm nagasa with 0.9 cm sori, the very straight outline typical of Kanbun-era shintō, and weighs 630 g. The hada is mokume and the hamon a bright gunome-midare in ko-nie. The tang is ubu, with a single mekugi-ana, and carries both the signature and the date: an auspicious day of the second month of Kanbun 13 (1673). NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers accompany the blade. The mounting is complete: saya in reddish-brown lacquer, tsuka wrapped in black silk over isogusa lacquer, menuki and a tsuba with gold inlay. The original seller places tsuba and menuki between the middle and the end of the Edo period, unsigned and without tōsōgu papers, and declares one small rust spot on the sashi-omote. No shirasaya is included.

Strong points

  • Signed and dated: an auspicious day of the second month of Kanbun 13 (1673)
  • Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
  • Smith working for the Maeda house in Kanazawa
  • Complete mounting: reddish-brown lacquered saya and a gold-inlaid tsuba
  • Mokume hada and gunome-midare in ko-nie; 630 g blade

Points to bear in mind

  • Sori of 0.9 cm: a very straight outline
  • One small rust spot on the sashi-omote, declared by the original seller
  • The fittings are unsigned and carry no tōsōgu papers: their dating rests on the original seller's opinion
  • No shirasaya included

Score breakdown

65.2/100

The score shares out 100 points: Signature and date 18 · Tang 22 · Mounting 18 · Declared condition 20 · Blade 8 · Shirasaya 4 · Price 10. It is computed from the record, not from an opinion. The mounting starts from what is known of its period, adds what vouches for it (its own NBTHK paper, a signed fitting, a crest) and subtracts what has been restored (saya, ito, same, habaki or sageo).

  1. Signature and date 18 of 18 Signed and with an engraved date
  2. Tang 22 of 22 Tang intact according to the seller at origin
  3. Mounting -4 of 18 Modern mounting · restored: relacquered or new saya, rewrapped ito and new habaki
  4. Declared condition 13 of 20 Minor flaws declared
  5. Blade 8 of 8 69.5 cm: within the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
  7. Price 8.2 of 10 Rank 26 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest