Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana signed 河内守国助 (Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke), Shintō period, attributed by the original seller to the second generation, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers and kept in shirasaya.
Katana signed 河内守国助 (Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke). The original seller attributes it to the second generation, known as 中河内 (Naka-Kawachi) because it stands between the first and third, working in Ōsaka during the Kanbun era; tradition links this smith with chōji hamon. The blade measures 72.5 cm in nagasa with 0.9 cm of sori; according to the original seller it has a standard width, shallow curvature and an extended kissaki. Also according to the seller, the jigane is a tight ko-itame and the nie-deki hamon begins in suguha at the hamachi and turns into gunome-midare with kobushi-chōji, with a rounded returning bōshi. The close-up photographs show a midare hamon of gunome and chōji along the blade. The tang, with a single mekugi-ana, appears intact in the photographs and carries the signature on the omote. The blade is kept in shirasaya, with a one-piece silver habaki according to the seller. It comes with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers (特別保存刀剣, tokubetsu hozon tōken) no. 1003773, dated 29 May Heisei 27 (2015).
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers no. 1003773 (2015)
- Signature 河内守国助 (Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke) on the omote of the tang
- Gunome and chōji hamon visible in the close-ups
- Tang intact in the photographs, with a single mekugi-ana
- Kept in shirasaya
Points to bear in mind
- No koshirae: the blade is offered in shirasaya only.
- The listing says nothing about the condition of the blade.
- The papers confirm the signature 河内守国助 (Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke) without stating the generation; the second generation is the original seller's attribution.
Score
89.5 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
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+10
72.5 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+24.5
Price: the more affordable, the more points +24.5
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
- 72.5 cm
- Sori
- 0.9 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Kanbun era (1661–1673)
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3,02 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,0 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,74 cm
- Blade weight
- 780 g