Kantei

NH-0059 Rank 131

Hizen Kawachi no Kami Masahiro

肥前国河内守藤氏正広

Fifth generation of the Masahiro house of Hizen, Hōreki era, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, koshirae and shirasaya; the original seller declares rust on the mune.

Shintō (1596-1780)Hōreki era (1751–64)Hizen (Saga)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Fifth generation of the Kawachi no Kami Masahiro house, one of the principal lines of the Hizen school in Saga province. The original seller places the blade in the Hōreki era (1751-1764) and notes that, given his period, this smith had ready access to imported Western steel, a point of interest to anyone following the school's technical development in mid-Edo. The blade measures 67.8 cm of nagasa with 1.2 cm of sori, a short outline of shallow curvature. It holds NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers. It comes with koshirae and shirasaya, plus a travel bag and a maintenance kit. The signature bears no date, and the original seller makes no statement about the tang or the number of mekugi-ana. On condition, he declares black rust at a couple of points along the mune.

Strong points

  • Fifth generation of the Masahiro house of Hizen
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers
  • Supplied with koshirae, shirasaya, travel bag and maintenance kit
  • Imported Western steel, according to the original seller

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller declares black rust at a couple of points along the mune
  • No statement is made about the tang or the number of mekugi-ana
  • The signature carries no date
  • At 67.8 cm of nagasa it falls below the usual length for a katana

Score breakdown

43.1/100

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).

  1. Signature and date 10 of 18 Signed, with no engraved date
  2. Tang 6 of 22 Shortened tang (suriage)
  3. Mounting -2 of 18 Mounting that is not the blade’s original
  4. Declared condition 13 of 20 Minor flaws declared
  5. Blade 6 of 8 67.8 cm: close to the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 4 of 4 With a storage shirasaya
  7. Price 6.1 of 10 Rank 55 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest