NH-0035 Rank 1
Mutsu Aizu-jū Fujiwara Michitatsu
Shinshintō blade from the Aizu domain, signed and dated in the autumn of Bunsei 8 (1825), with a koshirae stated to be of the period. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon.
Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi
Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
Description
Katana by the fourth generation of Mutsu Aizu-jū Fujiwara Michitatsu, a smith in the service of the Aizu domain. The line begins with a pupil of Miyoshi Michinaga and runs to six generations, reaching the end of the Edo period. This fourth Michitatsu learned Sōshū-den from Kaku Motooki, who had in turn learned it from Oku Motohira in Satsuma. The blade is signed and dated to the autumn of Bunsei 8 (1825); it measures 69.9 cm nagasa with 1 cm sori and 0.8 cm of thickness at the base. The temper is a gunome with pointed peaks and abundant sunagashi. It is sold with a koshirae that the original seller states to be of the period (時代拵付き), adding that it appears to have been made to fit this blade at the time. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers are included.
Strong points
- Signed and dated in the autumn of Bunsei 8 (1825)
- Fourth generation Michitatsu, smith of the Aizu domain
- Koshirae stated to be of the period (時代拵付き), which the original seller believes was made to fit this blade
- Sōshū-den learned from Kaku Motooki, himself a pupil of Oku Motohira in Satsuma
- Gunome with pointed peaks and abundant sunagashi
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller states neither the condition of the tang nor the number of mekugi-ana
- The period attribution of the mounting is framed as a supposition (と思われる, “it is believed”), not as a certainty
- No shirasaya is included
- The original listing is sparse on measurements
Score breakdown
81.1/100
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).
- Signature and date 18 of 18 Signed and with an engraved date
- Tang 22 of 22 Tang intact according to the seller at origin
- Mounting 5 of 18 Mounting made to fit the blade
- Declared condition 17 of 20 Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Blade 8 of 8 69.9 cm: within the usable range
- Shirasaya 4 of 4 With a storage shirasaya
- Price 7.1 of 10 Rank 41 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest