Kantei

NH-0047 Rank 43

Nagato no Kuni Han Ōfuka Gozaemon Kinryūshi Fujiwara Tamakiku

長門国藩大深五左衛門琴流子藤原玉喜久作 / 文久四年甲子二月日 鍛甲伏十五枚

Dated the second month of Bunkyū 4 (1864), from the Chōshū domain, with an inscription declaring a forging of fifteen layers and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers.

Shinshintō (1781-1876)2nd month of Bunkyū 4 (1864)prov. de NagatoNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A late Edo blade signed “Nagato no Kuni Han Ōfuka Gozaemon Kinryūshi Fujiwara Tamakiku saku”, from the Chōshū domain in Nagato province, today Yamaguchi prefecture. The reverse of the tang carries the inscription 文久四年甲子二月日鍛甲状十五枚: the second month of Bunkyū 4 (1864) and, beyond the date, a statement of method — the blade was forged from fifteen superimposed layers, a point the smith chose to record in the steel itself. The blade measures 70.1 cm of nagasa with 1.1 cm of sori. The signature runs the length of the tang and reads clearly on both faces; there are two mekugi-ana. The blade carries NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers. It comes with a blue-lacquered koshirae with a dragon tsuba, a travel bag and a maintenance kit. The photographs show the edge clean on both sides, with a complete bōshi and a crisp yokote, free of chips and hagire.

Strong points

  • Signed and dated the second month of Bunkyū 4 (1864)
  • The reverse inscription states the forging method: fifteen superimposed layers
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers
  • A long signature, legible on both faces of the tang
  • Blue-lacquered koshirae with a dragon tsuba; travel bag and maintenance kit included
  • A work of the Chōshū domain on the eve of the Meiji Restoration

Points to bear in mind

  • No shirasaya is included
  • The original seller declares two areas of surface pitting on the shinogi-ji, away from the edge and the temper line
  • Near the top of the mune there is an incipient kitae-kizu that can be felt by hand
  • Two mekugi-ana, although the length of the signature indicates the tang has not been shortened

Score breakdown

64.2/100

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 18 of 22 Tang intact according to the photographs, with 2 mekugi-ana
  3. Mounting 0 of 18 Modern mounting
  4. Declared condition 13 of 20 Minor flaws declared
  5. Blade 8 of 8 70.1 cm: within the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
  7. Price 7.2 of 10 Rank 39 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest