Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Bizen katana signed by Yosōzaemon no Jō Sukesada, a commissioned work dated Tenbun 3 (1534), in shirasaya with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers.
Late Muromachi katana by Yosōzaemon no Jō Sukesada, the most highly regarded master of the Osafune school in the Sue-Bizen period. The tang bears on the omote the signature 備前国住長船与三左衛門尉祐定作 (Bizen no kuni-jū Osafune Yosōzaemon no Jō Sukesada saku) together with the commission inscription 為草田備後守作之 (Kusada Bingo no Kami no tame kore o saku), and on the ura the date 天文三年二月吉日 (Tenbun sannen nigatsu kichijitsu). The photographs show a tang that appears unaltered, with two mekugi-ana, and a gunome midare hamon. According to the original seller, the blade has a long, thick-kasane shape, a finely forged ko-itame jigane with chikei and midare-utsuri, an open-based gunome midare with strong sunagashi and kinsuji, and a pointed bōshi with hakikake. Nagasa 71.5 cm, sori 2.2 cm. It is kept in shirasaya, without mountings. It comes with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers recording the signature and date.
Strong points
- Full signature of Yosōzaemon no Jō Sukesada, dated Tenbun 3 (1534)
- Commissioned work with a dedication engraved on the tang
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers
- Tang appears unaltered in the photographs
Points to bear in mind
- Offered in shirasaya only, without koshirae
- The listing says nothing about the condition of the blade
Score
60 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+20
Tang intact according to the photographs, with 2 mekugi-ana +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
71.5 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
−15
Price: the more affordable, the more points −15
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
- 71.5 cm
- Sori
- 2.2 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Yosōzaemon Sukesada
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Tenbun 3 (1534)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,1 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,1 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,8 cm