Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Late Muromachi kotō blade of the Uda school of Etchū, 73.8 cm nagasa, with Tokubetsu Hozon papers; supplied with koshirae and shirasaya.
The Uda school was founded by Kunimitsu at the end of the Kamakura period: he came from Uda-gun in Yamato and moved to Etchū with his pupils. It became the leading school of the Hokuriku region and made its name forging working blades, tough and practical, much in demand during the wars of the Nanbokuchō and Muromachi periods, when very long swords were also in fashion. A distinction is drawn between Ko-Uda, up to the Nanbokuchō, and Uda, already in the Muromachi; this blade belongs to the second group. Four generations used the name Sanekuni, and the piece is the work of one of them, without the source specifying which. It measures 73.8 cm nagasa with 1.4 cm sori, and is placed in Etchū, present-day Toyama prefecture, in the late sixteenth century. The tang shows a deep patina. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers are included, along with koshirae and shirasaya.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon on a kotō blade
- 73.8 cm nagasa with 1.4 cm sori
- Uda school, the leading school of the Hokuriku region
- Tang with a deep patina
- Supplied with koshirae and shirasaya
Points to bear in mind
- Three mekugi-ana and the signature close to the tip of the tang: the blade has been shortened, as is to be expected in a Muromachi kotō
- The photographs show a lengthwise line in the ji, consistent with a ware
- The original seller does not state the condition of the tang
Score
39.9 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
−20
Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri) −10 · 1 extra mekugi-ana −10
-
Declared condition
−25
The original seller declares flaws 0 · small kitae-ware, away from the edge −5 · black rust (kuro-sabi) −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
−20
Mounting described, undated +5 · relacquered saya −10 · new habaki −10 · new sageo −5
-
Blade
+10
73.8 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+24.9
Price: the more affordable, the more points +24.9
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).
Measurements
- Nagasa
- 73.8 cm
- Sori
- 1.4 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
- Smith
- Uda Sanekuni
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- Late Muromachi period (16th century)
- Province
- prov. de Etchu
- Mekugi-ana
- 3
- Condition
- Localised flaw declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
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