Kantei
‹ Catalogue

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

The piece

An Enpō-era (1673-81) work by a smith of the Kuroda clan, with an ubu tang, suguha of very clear nioiguchi and a mounting with a carved vermilion saya.

Moritsugu forged for the Kuroda clan during the Enpō era and is ranked among the best of the Fukuoka Ishidō school of Chikuzen, which together with the Nobukuni school forms the summit of the province's shintō work. He died on the sixth day of the fifth month of 1701, aged 69. The blade, signed 筑前國福岡住守次 (Chikuzen no Kuni Fukuoka-jū Moritsugu), is shinogi-zukuri with iori-mune, broad mihaba, deep sori — a school trait — and chū-kissaki: 72.1 cm nagasa, 1.8 cm sori, 3.26 cm motohaba, 830.5 g. The hada is a tight ko-itame with surface masame and ji-nie; the hamon a chū-suguha mixed with ko-gunome, ko-ashi and a very clear nioiguchi; the bōshi straight with a ko-maru turnback. The tang is ubu, with suji-kai yasurime, a kuri-jiri tip, two mekugi-ana and a slightly advanced machi. The signature mixes block, running and cursive script. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers dated 2 July 2010. The koshirae has a vermilion-lacquered saya with koshi-kizami carving, an iron tsuba with namako-sukashi and kin-zōgan, catfish menuki in carved suaka, and iron fuchi-kashira and kojiri. Shirasaya and a two-piece gilt suaka habaki are included.

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon (2 July 2010)
  • Ubu tang; Fukuoka Ishidō school, smiths to the Kuroda clan
  • Vermilion-lacquered saya with koshi-kizami carving, an uncommon treatment
  • Iron tsuba with namako-sukashi and kin-zōgan; catfish menuki in suaka
  • Chū-suguha with ko-gunome and a very clear nioiguchi over tight ko-itame
  • Shirasaya included; condition described as excellent by the original seller

Points to bear in mind

  • The signature carries no date
  • Two mekugi-ana and a slightly advanced machi
  • The koshirae has no tōsōgu papers of its own

Score

118.9 pointscurrent max. 255

  1. Certificate +50

    NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50

  2. Tang −10

    Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri) −10

  3. Declared condition +30

    Healthy according to the original seller +30

  4. Signature and date +15

    Signed, with no engraved date +15

  5. Mounting −5

    Mounting described, undated +5 · relacquered saya −10

  6. Blade +10

    72.1 cm: within the usable range +10

  7. Shirasaya +5

    With a storage shirasaya +5

  8. Price +23.9

    Price: the more affordable, the more points +23.9

The score adds and subtracts points for each feature of the piece and has no ceiling: the highest in the catalogue today is 255. 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).

Nagasa
72.1 cm
Sori
1.8 cm
Tang
Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri)
Certificate
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
Mounting
Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
Storage shirasaya
Yes
Period
Shintō (1596-1780)
Dating
Enpō era (1673–81)
Province
Chikuzen
Mekugi-ana
2
Paper date
2 July 2010
Condition
Sound condition according to the seller at origin
Signed
Yes
With an engraved date
No
Motohaba
3,26 cm
Motokasane
0,74 cm
Sakihaba
2,09 cm
Sakikasane
0,44 cm
Blade weight
830,5 g

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