Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by the first Nanki Shigekuni, from the early Kan'ei era, designated Jūyō Tōken by the NBTHK at the 28th session and presented in shirasaya.
Nanki Shigekuni, a smith of Yamato origin linked to the Tegai school, served Tokugawa Ieyasu at Sunpu and in 1619 followed Tokugawa Yorinobu to Wakayama, in Kii province. The designation paper attributes this blade to the first master of the line. It is a shinogi-zukuri with iori-mune, a high shinogi, shallow sori and a chū-kissaki, with a nagasa of 69.9 cm. According to the paper's description, the jigane is itame mixed with nagare and ji-nie; the hamon begins as a low notare and turns into gunome midare in the upper half, with abundant nie, sunagashi and kinsuji, and nijūba in the lower half; the bōshi is straight. A regional monograph reproduced in the photographs describes it as a rare interpretation of the Shizu style in Shigekuni's work, made early in Kan'ei. The tang is shortened (suriage, with the tip cut), has two mekugi-ana and bears the signature 於南紀重国造之 (Nanki ni oite Shigekuni kore o tsukuru). It is presented in shirasaya with its habaki, accompanied by the NBTHK Jūyō Tōken certificate dated 1 December Shōwa 56 (1981).
Strong points
- Designated Jūyō Tōken by the NBTHK (28th session, 1981)
- Work of the first Nanki Shigekuni, smith in the service of the Tokugawa
- Sōshū-style hamon with strong nie, kinsuji and sunagashi, according to the paper
- Signed 於南紀重国造之 (Nanki ni oite Shigekuni kore o tsukuru)
- Published in a monograph on the swords of Kishū
Points to bear in mind
- Shortened tang (suriage) with the tip cut; the reproduced monograph puts it at about 4.75 cm
- Presented in shirasaya only, without koshirae
- The original seller does not state the condition of the blade
Score
101.2 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+140
NBTHK Jūyō paper +140
-
Tang
−20
Shortened tang (suriage) −20
-
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
+10
69.9 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
−13.8
Price: the more affordable, the more points −13.8
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
- 69.9 cm
- Sori
- 1.1 cm
- Tang
- Shortened tang (suriage)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Jūyō
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Nanki Shigekuni
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Early Kan'ei era (1624–1644)
- Province
- Kii
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 2,9 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,0 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,7 cm