Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Nobukuni school of Chikuzen, Kanbun era, with an ubu tang of a single mekugi-ana, 2.1 cm of sori, NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, koshirae and shirasaya.
A work of the Nobukuni school of Chikuzen, one of the two principal shintō lines of that province, placed by the original seller in the Kanbun era (1661-1673). The blade measures 70.4 cm of nagasa with a sori of 2.1 cm: a pronounced curve for a piece of its period, giving the outline a clearly visible arc. Sunagashi and kinsuji can be seen along the edge, activities that speak of careful forging. The tang remains ubu, unshortened, with a single mekugi-ana, so the signature survives in full; it bears no date. The blade carries NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers. It comes with koshirae and shirasaya, although the original seller does not describe the fittings of the mounting and makes no statement about the blade's state of preservation.
Strong points
- Nobukuni school of Chikuzen, one of the two summits of the province's shintō work
- Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers
- Sori of 2.1 cm over 70.4 cm of nagasa: a pronounced curve
- Sunagashi and kinsuji visible along the edge
- Supplied with koshirae and shirasaya
Points to bear in mind
- The signature carries no date
- The original seller does not describe the mounting
- No statement is made about the blade's state of preservation
Score
200.7 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
+20
In good condition according to the original seller +20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
+50
Mounting from the same period as the blade +50
-
Blade
+10
70.4 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+25.7
Price: the more affordable, the more points +25.7
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
- 70.4 cm
- Sori
- 2.1 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Period mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Nobukuni Yoshikane
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Kanbun era (1661–1673)
- Province
- Chikuzen (Fukuoka)
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
A new mounting or a polish for your blade? Custom koshirae · Polishing