Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana signed by Nobukuni Mitsumasa of the Chikuzen Nobukuni school, around the Meiwa era, with horimono on both faces, in shirasaya and with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers.
Katana by Nobukuni Mitsumasa, a smith of the Nobukuni school of Chikuzen, placed by the NBTHK paper around the Meiwa era (1764–1772), in the middle Edo period. According to the original seller, the blade is in katakiriha-zukuri with an iori-mune, with ko-itame jigane, a suguha hamon with some sunagashi, and a straight bōshi that turns back with a flame-like touch. It measures 71.1 cm in nagasa with 0.9 cm of sori, a motohaba of 3.27 cm and a motokasane of 0.68 cm. It carries horimono on both faces: on the omote, the three friends of winter, 歳寒三友 (saikan sanyū), of which the photographs show the plum and the bamboo; on the ura, the invocation 天満大自在天神 (Tenman Daijizai Tenjin), legible in the photographs. The tang is signed 信國光昌造 (Nobukuni Mitsumasa saku) and has a single mekugi-ana; in the photographs the signature and the tang tip appear complete. It is kept in shirasaya, without mounts. It holds NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, no. 1018119, dated June of Reiwa 4 (2022).
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers (2022)
- Signed 信國光昌造 (Nobukuni Mitsumasa saku)
- Horimono on both faces: 歳寒三友 (saikan sanyū) and 天満大自在天神 (Tenman Daijizai Tenjin)
- Katakiriha-zukuri, an uncommon shape for a katana, according to the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- No koshirae: the blade is kept only in shirasaya.
- The original seller's listing records the tang as 大磨上 (ō-suriage), which does not match the complete signature and tang tip shown in the photographs.
- The listing does not mention the condition or polish of the blade.
- No engraved date: the attribution to the Meiwa era comes from the paper.
Score
83.3 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
71.1 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+18.3
Price: the more affordable, the more points +18.3
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
- 71.1 cm
- Sori
- 0.9 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Nobukuni Mitsumasa
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Meiwa era (1764–1772)
- Province
- Chikuzen
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3,27 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,68 cm