Kantei

NH-0180 Rank 25

Soushi Chikuzen Daijo Taikei Naotane

Shinshintō katana by Taikei Naotane, signed with kaō and dated Bunsei 12 (1829), showing utsuri, with a complete shakudō koshirae, shirasaya and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken.

Shintō (1596-1780)2nd month of Bunsei 12 (1829)MusashiNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Katana by Taikei Naotane (Shōji Naotane), a shinshintō smith whom the original seller ranks as saijō-saku, pupil of Suishinshi Masahide and active in Edo (Musashi). According to the original seller he was born in Dewa province, received the title Chikuzen Daijō around Bunsei 4 and that of Mino no Kami in Kaei 1, and mastered both the Bizen and the Sōshū traditions. The blade has a nagasa of 68.64 cm and a sori of 1.21 cm; it is broad and thick, with an elongated kissaki. The seller describes a koitame jigane with ji-nie and chikei showing utsuri, unusual in late Edo work, and a nie-based hamon of chōji-midare mixed with gunome-midare, with abundant ashi and kinsuji; the bōshi is midarekomi with a round turnback. In the photographs the tang is ubu, with a single mekugi-ana, signed “Sōshi Chikuzen Daijō Taikei Naotane” with kaō and dated the second month of Bunsei 12 (1829). It comes in shirasaya together with a complete koshirae: mokkō-shaped shakudō tsuba with plant motifs, shakudō fuchi-kashira with arabesques, menuki and kurigata bearing the kuyō-mon, shakudō kojiri and a saya lacquered in red and black. It holds an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate, photographed, and comes with a box.

Strong points

  • Signed “Sōshi Chikuzen Daijō Taikei Naotane” with kaō and dated the 2nd month of Bunsei 12 (1829).
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate, legible in the photograph of the origami.
  • Utsuri in a late Edo work, which the original seller notes is unusual.
  • Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana in the photographs.
  • Complete koshirae with shakudō fittings and kuyō-mon, plus shirasaya and box.

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller describes the fittings of the mounting but does not date it.
  • The listing states the blade has been polished, without dating the polish or detailing its condition.

Score breakdown

68.4/100

The score shares out 100 points: Signature and date 18 · Tang 22 · Mounting 18 · Declared condition 20 · Blade 8 · Shirasaya 4 · Price 10. 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).

  1. Signature and date 18 of 18 Signed and with an engraved date
  2. Tang 20 of 22 Tang intact according to the photographs
  3. Mounting 3 of 18 Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin · with a family crest (mon)
  4. Declared condition 20 of 20 Recent polish declared by the seller at origin
  5. Blade 6 of 8 68.6 cm: close to the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
  7. Price 1.4 of 10 Rank 120 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest