Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Minamoto Masao, a pupil of Kiyomaro, dated Ansei 6 (1859) and forged from Iwanai iron sand from Ezo. Tokubetsu Hozon papers, with shirasaya and mounting.
According to the original seller, Minamoto Masao studied under Minamoto Kiyomaro from the time the master still signed Masayuki; he became independent in Kaei 6 (1853) and worked in Shitaya, Edo. The intact tang, with a single mekugi-ana, bears the signature 源正雄 (Minamoto Masao) and the date 安政六年八月日 (Ansei rokunen hachigatsu hi); the ura carries a dedication (tamegaki) and the inscription 以蝦夷地岩内砂鉄造之 (probable reading: Ezo-chi Iwanai satetsu o motte kore o tsukuru), stating that the blade was forged from Iwanai iron sand from Ezo. The seller links it to the imperial loyalists who travelled north to guard the frontier. Nagasa 70.5 cm, sori 2.0 cm. According to the original seller, the jigane is masame and the hamon a midareba with abundant sunagashi, kinsuji and imozuru; the photographs show an undulating hamon. It comes with a shirasaya bearing a sayagaki and a mounting with an openwork iron tsuba of cherry blossoms, a lacquered saya with gold clouds and fittings sharing one gold mon. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, issued in 2022.
Strong points
- Signed and dated Ansei 6 (1859), ubu tang
- Inscription recording the use of Iwanai iron sand from Ezo
- Smith of the Kiyomaro school
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers
- Shirasaya with sayagaki and complete mounting with gold mon
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller neither describes nor dates the mounting; it is documented only in the photographs
- The listing does not state the blade's condition; the photographs show some fine scratches on the shinogi-ji
Score
105.9 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
+3
Mounting the original seller says nothing about 0 · family crests (mon): 1 +3
-
Blade
+10
70.5 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+7.9
Price: the more affordable, the more points +7.9
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
- 70.5 cm
- Sori
- 2 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting documented only in the photographs
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Minamoto Masao
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 8th month of Ansei 6 (1859)
- Province
- Sado
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,11 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,54 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,68 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,53 cm
- Blade weight
- 770 g
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