Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Seventh-generation Korekazu of Edo, rated jōjō-saku, with bōhi on both sides, an ubu tang holding a single hole and a sayagaki by Hon'ami Mitsumago dated 1953.
Nephew of Ishidō Unju Korekazu, he succeeded as the seventh-generation Korekazu in Edo. No blades of his are known after the sword-wearing ban; he died on 24 November 1891, aged 75. He is rated jōjō-saku and worked in Bizen-den and Sōshū-den, above all in Sōden-Bizen. The blade, signed 石堂藤原是一精鍛之 (probable reading: Ishidō Fujiwara Korekazu kore o seitan su), measures 70.3 cm nagasa and 1.5 cm sori, with 2.94 cm motohaba, 0.59 cm kasane and 580 g; it carries bōhi on both sides and a slightly elongated kissaki. The hada is a clean, well-forged ko-itame; the hamon a suguha leaning to nioi-deki with scattered ko-ashi, in the manner of a copy of an older blade (kotō utsushi); the bōshi is round with a double line. Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana and a one-piece gold habaki. A sayagaki by Hon'ami Mitsumago, dated January 1953, attributes it to Edo Ishidō Korekazu. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers. The koshirae has a black-lacquered saya bearing a family crest, an iron mokkō-gata tsuba with animals and plum in high relief with gold inlay, iron fuchi-kashira and shakudō menuki with a tool motif and gold inlay. Shirasaya included.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Sayagaki by Hon'ami Mitsumago dated January 1953
- Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana and a one-piece gold habaki
- Black saya with a family crest and an iron mokkō tsuba with gold high relief
- Bōhi on both sides over a clean ko-itame, with suguha and scattered ko-ashi
- Shirasaya included
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller declares a rusted area on the mune, which would call for a polish to put right
- The signature carries no date
- The original seller himself notes that utsuri is scarce and the hamon somewhat stiff for a copy of Kagemitsu's work
- The koshirae has no tōsōgu papers of its own
Score
110.3 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
+3
Mounting the original seller says nothing about 0 · family crests (mon): 1 +3
-
Blade
+10
70.3 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+22.3
Price: the more affordable, the more points +22.3
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).
Measurements
- Nagasa
- 70.3 cm
- Sori
- 1.5 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting with a family crest (mon)
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Ishidō Korekazu
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- 19th century
- Province
- Edo
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Localised flaw declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 2.94 cm
- Sakihaba
- 1.93 cm
- Blade weight
- 580 g
A new mounting or a polish for your blade? Custom koshirae · Polishing