Kantei

NH-0086 Rank 17

Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro

肥前国住近江大掾藤原忠広

Katana by the second-generation Tadahiro of Hizen, signed and ubu, with Tokubetsu Hozon papers and a vermilion-saya koshirae whose fuchi-kashira, signed Masakuni, also carries Tokubetsu Hozon papers.

Shintō (1596-1780)Early Edo period (1641–1688)HizenNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Blade by Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro, second generation of the main Hizen line and son of Hizen Tadayoshi, who received the title Ōmi Daijō in Kan'ei 18 (1641) and worked until Genroku 6 (1693). It measures 70.1 cm in nagasa with 1.2 cm of sori. According to the original seller, the jigane is a very tight ko-itame showing the school's characteristic konuka-hada, and the hamon is a chū-suguha with a bright, even nioiguchi ending in a ko-maru bōshi. The tang is ubu with a single mekugi-ana and bears the signature Hizen no Kuni-jū Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro, undated. The photographs show the NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon origami for the blade. The katana is mounted in a koshirae with a vermilion-lacquered saya, a tsuka of white ito over same, an iron tsuba with radiating grooves and openwork, and a fuchi-kashira signed Masakuni depicting a hawk on the watch and a monkey hiding in a cave, which has its own Tokubetsu Hozon fittings paper. It comes with a shirasaya, cloth bags and a silver-foil habaki.

Strong points

  • Work of the second Tadahiro, a central figure of the Hizen school
  • Signed ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper for the blade, visible in the photographs
  • Fuchi-kashira signed Masakuni with its own Tokubetsu Hozon paper
  • Complete koshirae with vermilion saya, plus shirasaya

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller does not state the condition of the blade or the date of its last polish.
  • The koshirae is undated; the fittings paper certifies only the fuchi-kashira, not the whole mounting.
  • The ito and same look very white and clean, suggesting a recent rewrap; the copper sekigane in the tsuba also appears recent.

Score breakdown

70.8/100

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 22 of 22 Tang intact according to the seller at origin
  3. Mounting 15 of 18 Modern mounting · with one fitting bearing an NBTHK paper · with a signed fitting · restored: rewrapped ito
  4. Declared condition 8 of 20 Localised flaw declared
  5. Blade 8 of 8 70.1 cm: within the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 4 of 4 With a storage shirasaya
  7. Price 3.8 of 10 Rank 86 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest