Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
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.
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
53.3 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
−20
Shortened tang (suriage) −20
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller declares flaws 0 · black rust (kuro-sabi) −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
−5
Mounting that is not the blade’s original −5
-
Blade
+5
67.8 cm: close to the usable range +5
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+23.3
Price: the more affordable, the more points +23.3
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
- 67.8 cm
- Sori
- 1.2 cm
- Tang
- Shortened tang (suriage)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting that is not the blade’s original
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Hizen Masahiro
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Hōreki era (1751–64)
- Province
- Hizen (Saga)
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Minor flaws declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
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