Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Keishinsai Naomasa, a student of Taikei Naotane, with an ubu tang signed in tachi-mei and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers. Offered in shirasaya.
Katana by Keishinsai Naomasa, smith to the Nakamura domain in Sōma (Mutsu province) and a student of Taikei Naotane, with dated works from Kaei 7 to Meiji 6. According to the original seller, the blade is shinogi-zukuri with an iori-mune and chū-kissaki, of standard width and thickness and deep sori, with a nagasa of 75.8 cm and 2.6 cm of sori. The jigane is itame mixed with mokume, somewhat open, with ji-nie and chikei; the hamon is ko-gunome midare with angular, pointed and some slanting elements, ko-nie and sunagashi; the bōshi is nie-laden, midare-komi with hakikake. The tang is ubu, with sujikai yasurime and keshō, a kurijiri tip and one mekugi-ana, and is signed in tachi-mei 慶心斎直正作之 (Keishinsai Naomasa saku kore), in a work that, according to the original seller, was meant to evoke older blades. It carries a gold-plated copper tachi habaki. The photographs show the blade in its shirasaya; there is no koshirae. It comes with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers issued on 21 February of Reiwa 7 (2025).
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers (2025)
- Ubu tang signed in tachi-mei, with a single mekugi-ana
- Long 75.8 cm blade with a deep 2.6 cm sori
- Student of Taikei Naotane, smith to the Nakamura domain in Sōma
- Shirasaya and gold-plated copper tachi habaki
Points to bear in mind
- No koshirae: the blade is offered in shirasaya only.
- The listing does not state the blade's condition or the date of polish.
- Undated: placed in the Bakumatsu period.
Score
105 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+15
75.8 cm: long blade, 74 cm or more +15
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+30
Price: the more affordable, the more points +30
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
- 75.8 cm
- Sori
- 2.6 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Keishinsai Naomasa
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- Bakumatsu period (1853–1868)
- Province
- Mutsu
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3 cm
- Sakihaba
- 1,9 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,6 cm