Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Signed katana by Sōshū Tsunahiro, attributed by the original seller to the first generation (Tenbun era), with carvings on both sides, a modern uchigatana mounting and a declared Tokubetsu Hozon paper.
Katana by Sōshū Tsunahiro, a smith of Kamakura in Sagami province, whom the original seller identifies as the first generation and places around the Tenbun era (1532–1555), working for the Hōjō clan. According to the seller, the blade was originally longer and has been shortened (suriage), yet it keeps a deep sori, a wide mihaba, a thick kasane and a taut chūkissaki. It measures 75.23 cm in nagasa with 2.27 cm of sori. The photographs show horimono on both sides: on the omote, a bōhi with a bonji and a sword with a sanko hilt; on the ura, a bōhi with a bonji and gomabashi. They also reveal an itame jigane with pronounced chikei. The seller describes a suguha with a subdued nioiguchi, small gunome, kinsuji, sunagashi and yubashiri around the monouchi. The tang, with two mekugi-ana, retains the signature 相州住綱廣 (Sōshū-jū Tsunahiro). The blade comes with a gold-foiled double habaki and a modern uchigatana mounting with a black lacquered saya, black same, leather wrapping, brass menuki and an iron swordsmith tsuba, which according to the seller recreates the taste of Tenshō-era mountings. The seller also declares a shirasaya and an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.
Strong points
- Blade signed 相州住綱廣 (Sōshū-jū Tsunahiro), late Muromachi period according to the original seller
- Horimono on both sides: bōhi, bonji, sanko sword and gomabashi, visible in the photographs
- Itame jigane with pronounced chikei in the close-ups
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the seller
- Complete uchigatana mounting and declared shirasaya
Points to bear in mind
- Shortened blade (suriage), signature retained
- The mounting is modern, made by a recent enthusiast according to the seller; it is not contemporary with the blade
- The listing does not state the condition or the polish of the blade
- The paper and the shirasaya do not appear in the photographs
Score
70.3 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
−20
Shortened tang (suriage) −20
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
+15
Modern or replacement mounting +15
-
Blade
+15
75.2 cm: long blade, 74 cm or more +15
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+10.3
Price: the more affordable, the more points +10.3
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
- 75.2 cm
- Sori
- 2.3 cm
- Tang
- Shortened tang (suriage)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Modern mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Sōshū Tsunahiro
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- Tenbun era (1532–1555)
- Province
- Sagami
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3,15 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,00 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,70 cm
- Length when mounted
- 104,54 cm
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