Kantei

NH-0098 Rank 14

Iga no Kami Fujiwara Kinmichi II

Katana by the second-generation Iga no Kami Kinmichi (Mishina school, Kyoto), with imperial chrysanthemum and signature on an ubu tang, NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper and an uchigatana koshirae with a tsuba signed Higo-jū Masasato.

Shintō (1596-1780)Early Edo period, from Kan'ei 14 (1637)YamashiroNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Katana by the second-generation Iga no Kami Fujiwara Kinmichi, head of the Mishina school in Kyoto, who received his title in Kan'ei 14 (1637) and from then on engraved the imperial chrysanthemum on his tangs; the original seller places the sword in the early Edo period. The blade has a nagasa of 74.5 cm and a sori of 1.8 cm; according to the original seller, the hada is itame with masame in the shinogi-ji and abundant ji-nie, and the hamon opens with a long Kyoto-style yakidashi before running in notare with gunome, togari-ba, hako-ba and yahazu-ba, with a Mishina bōshi. The tang is ubu with a single mekugi-ana, katte-sagari yasurime and a kengyō tip; above the hole it bears the sixteen-petal chrysanthemum and below it the signature Iga no Kami Fujiwara Kinmichi, visible in the photographs. It comes with an uchigatana koshirae: a scabbard lacquered in vermilion tame-nuri with broad stripes (yatara), a tsuka of white same with hishimaki wrap, fuchi-kashira in shakudō nanako with gold kiri-mon, crane menuki and an openwork iron tsuba with paulownia motifs signed Higo-jū Masasato, with an NBTHK Hozon Tōsōgu paper; gilt habaki and shirasaya are also included. The blade holds an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate, legible in the photographs.

Strong points

  • Second-generation Iga no Kami Kinmichi, Mishina school of Kyoto, with the imperial chrysanthemum engraved on the tang
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate, legible in the photographs
  • Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana and seven-character signature
  • Long blade (74.5 cm) with Kyoto-style yakidashi and Mishina bōshi
  • Uchigatana koshirae with vermilion tame-nuri scabbard and a tsuba signed Higo-jū Masasato holding a Hozon Tōsōgu paper

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller describes the fittings but does not date the mounting
  • In the photographs the tsuka wrap looks taut and unworn: it may have been redone
  • The original seller makes no statement on the blade's condition
  • The Hozon Tōsōgu paper covers only the tsuba, not the mounting as a whole

Score breakdown

71.5/100

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 18 of 18 Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin · with one fitting bearing an NBTHK paper · with a signed fitting · with a family crest (mon) · restored: rewrapped ito
  4. Declared condition 11 of 20 Condition not declared
  5. Blade 8 of 8 74.5 cm: within the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
  7. Price 2.5 of 10 Rank 104 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest