NH-0060 Rank 122
Fujiwara Masayasu
Long 75.4 cm blade of the Sakakura-Seki school, from Mino to Owari, with a koshirae described piece by piece and Tokubetsu Hozon papers. The tang has been shortened.
Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi
Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
Description
The blade is signed Fujiwara Masayasu, a name also read Masatomo, and is placed in the Sakakura-Seki school, rooted in Mino and established in Owari. It is dated to the Enpō era (1673-1681); the signature bears no date. It measures 75.4 cm nagasa, among the longer lengths, with a low sori of 0.7 cm that gives a very straight outline, and it weighs 945 g: a sturdy blade. The tang has been shortened (suriage), with three mekugi-ana and some 3 cm of machi-okuri, meaning that the mounting point has been moved from its original position. The koshirae is described piece by piece: an iron tsuba with chrysanthemums, an iron fuchi-kashira with silver arabesques, copper menuki with lions, and a decorated lacquer saya. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers are included.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- 75.4 cm nagasa: among the longer blades
- Koshirae described piece by piece: iron tsuba with chrysanthemums, iron fuchi-kashira with silver arabesques, copper lion menuki and a decorated lacquer saya
- Sakakura-Seki school, from Mino to Owari
- 945 g: a sturdy blade
Points to bear in mind
- Heavily reworked tang: shortened, with three mekugi-ana and some 3 cm of machi-okuri
- The signature bears no date; the Enpō dating is an estimate
- 0.7 cm sori: a very straight outline
- No shirasaya is included, and the original seller neither dates the mounting nor describes the state of preservation
Score breakdown
47.3/100
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 10 of 18 Signed, with no engraved date
- Tang 9 of 22 Full-length tang with machi-okuri, but with 3 mekugi-ana
- Mounting 0 of 18 Modern mounting
- Declared condition 11 of 20 Condition not declared
- Blade 8 of 8 75.4 cm: within the usable range
- Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
- Price 9.3 of 10 Rank 11 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest