Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Taikei Naotane, signed and dated 2nd month of Tenpō 7 (1836), with a commission inscription and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper; presented in shirasaya.
Taikei Naotane, a pupil of Suishinshi Masahide and smith to the Akimoto clan of Yamagata, is one of the leading figures of shinshintō and a champion of the return to classical methods. This katana has a nagasa of 68.1 cm and a sori of 2.0 cm; according to the original seller, it is a wide, thick blade with a large kissaki and bōhi, a tightly forged masame jigane recalling Gō Yoshihiro, and a nie-based notare and gunome hamon with abundant sunagashi and kinsuji. The nakago, which the photographs show intact with a single mekugi-ana, bears on the omote the signature 造大慶直胤 (Zō Taikei Naotane) with its kaō, and on the ura the date 天保七年仲春 (Tenpō shichinen chūshun), the middle month of spring 1836, together with 由虎好之 (Yoshitora kore o konomu), "commissioned by Yoshitora", a name the original seller links to a spear master of the late Edo period. It has a one-piece gold-foiled habaki and is kept in shirasaya, without mounts. It carries NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper no. 1001476, dated August Heisei 25 (2013), visible in the photographs.
Strong points
- Signed and dated work by Taikei Naotane, a leading shinshintō master
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper (no. 1001476)
- Commission inscription 由虎好之 (Yoshitora kore o konomu) on the ura
- Nakago intact according to the photographs, with a single mekugi-ana
- Tight masame jigane in the manner of Gō Yoshihiro, according to the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- Presented in shirasaya only, without koshirae
- The listing does not state the blade's condition or the date of its last polish
Score
71.4 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+20
Tang intact according to the photographs +20
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+5
68.1 cm: close to the usable range +5
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+1.4
Price: the more affordable, the more points +1.4
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
- 68.1 cm
- Sori
- 2 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Taikei Naotane
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Tenpō 7 (1836)
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,19 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,27 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,70 cm
- Blade weight
- 715 g