Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana signed 薩州住正良 (Sasshū-jū Masayoshi) and dated the 2nd month of Anei 6 (1777), in shirasaya with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers.
Katana by Masayoshi, a smith of Satsuma province active in the second half of the 18th century. According to the original seller, he later received the title Hōki no Kami (Kansei 1, 1789) and went on to sign Masayuki; together with Motohira he is regarded as one of the two leading figures of Satsuma swordmaking in his day. The omote of the tang bears the signature 薩州住正良 (Sasshū-jū Masayoshi), and the ura the date 安永六酉二月日 (Anei roku tori nigatsu hi) with the commission inscription 応肥後大槻清房需造之 (probable reading: Higo Ōtsuki Kiyofusa no motome ni ōjite kore o tsukuru). The blade measures 70.8 cm in nagasa with 1.0 cm of sori; it is wide and thick, with a long kissaki and bo-hi on both sides, as the photographs show. The original seller describes a ko-itame jigane with jinie and a nie-deki hamon of wide suguha and notare, with thick ashi and very active from the monouchi to the point. The tang has two mekugi-ana, and the seller states it has been shortened by about 3 cm. It comes in shirasaya, with a one-piece silver habaki and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers (no. 151950, 2007).
Strong points
- Full signature and date: 2nd month of Anei 6 (1777)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers
- Commission inscription on the ura of the tang
- Wide, thick blade with a long kissaki and bo-hi on both sides
- In shirasaya, with a silver habaki
Points to bear in mind
- Offered without koshirae, in shirasaya only.
- Tang slightly shortened: the original seller states about 3 cm; the photographs show the original tip and the end of the hi below the machi.
- The listing does not state the condition of the blade beyond its being polished.
Score
70.1 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
−10
Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri) −10
-
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
70.8 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
- 70.8 cm
- Sori
- 1 cm
- Tang
- Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Satsuma Masayoshi
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Anei 6 (1777)
- Province
- Satsuma
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,17 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,2 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,75 cm