Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Isshinsai Munehira, second generation of the Koyama, dated 1862, with an intact tang and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers according to the original seller.
Katana signed by Koyama Munehira, art name Isshinsai, and dated 文久二年二月日 (Bunkyū ninen nigatsu hi), February 1862. According to the original seller, he was a native of Ise province, a pupil of the first Munehira and the second generation of the name, a nephew of Koyama Munetsugu, and he served the Kanō family of the Ichinomiya domain in Kazusa. His work closely follows Munetsugu's, with gunome-chōji hamon in the Bizen tradition. The original seller regards this blade as one of his finest: Bizen work with Sōshū influence, an edge rich in nie and a feeling close to Yamaura Kiyomaro. Nagasa 70.6 cm, sori 1.66 cm, motohaba 3.0 cm and motokasane 0.75 cm. The photographs show a broad blade with a continuous undulating gunome hamon, and an intact tang with its original tip and a single mekugi-ana, signed on one side and dated on the other. The original seller declares NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers and that the blade is kept in shirasaya; neither appears in the photographs.
Strong points
- Signed and dated blade: 2nd month of Bunkyū 2 (1862)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers declared by the original seller
- Intact tang with a single mekugi-ana, per the photographs
- Koyama school, in the line of Koyama Munetsugu, Bizen style with Sōshū influence
Points to bear in mind
- No koshirae: the blade is offered in shirasaya, declared by the original seller but not photographed
- The Tokubetsu Hozon papers do not appear in the photographs
- The listing says nothing about the blade's condition or polish
Score
100.1 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
+10
70.6 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+25.1
Price: the more affordable, the more points +25.1
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
- 70.6 cm
- Sori
- 1.7 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Koyama Munehira
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Bunkyū 2 (1862)
- Province
- Ise
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,0 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,1 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,75 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,5 cm