Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shintō-period katana signed by Kazusa no Suke Kaneshige, with a gold-inlaid two-body cutting test by Yamano Kaemon Nagahisa dated 1661 and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers.
Katana signed on the tang 上総介兼重 (Kazusa no Suke Kaneshige), an Edo smith of the Shintō period; the original seller notes that the signature is cut in reisho script, unusual for him. The blade has a nagasa of 73.9 cm, a sori of 1.0 cm and a motohaba of 3.08 cm, and weighs 750 g bare. According to the original seller, the jigane is a tight ko-itame with nie, and the hamon a gentle notare mixed with gunome, with thick ashi, deep nioi, yubashiri and sunagashi. The tang is ubu, with two mekugi-ana. On the ura it carries a gold-inlaid cutting test, «弐ツ胴切落 (futatsu-dō kiriotosu)», two bodies cut through, signed by the tester Yamano Kaemon Nagahisa in the 2nd month of Manji 4 (1661). It holds NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, photographed; according to the original seller, the blade was shown at a study session at the association's headquarters, and the photographs include the printed pages of that session. It is stored in a shirasaya with sayagaki and comes with a koshirae: black saya in grained lacquer, same-covered tsuka with light and dark blue ito, and iron tsuba, fuchi and kashira with gilt dragons; the fuchi is signed 柳川直時 (Yanagawa Naotoki).
Strong points
- Signature 上総介兼重 (Kazusa no Suke Kaneshige) on an ubu tang with two mekugi-ana
- Gold-inlaid two-body cutting test by Yamano Kaemon Nagahisa, Manji 4 (1661)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, photographed
- Shown at an NBTHK headquarters study session, according to the original seller and the photographed pages
- Comes with a shirasaya bearing a sayagaki and a full koshirae with gilt dragons
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller neither describes nor dates the koshirae; the tsuka wrap appears redone in the photographs.
- The signature on the fuchi is not backed by any papers for the mounting.
- The listing does not state the condition of the blade.
- The cutting test is recorded on the tang; the NBTHK does not rule on its result.
Score
91.4 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin, with 2 mekugi-ana +25
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
+5
Mounting the original seller says nothing about 0 · signed fittings: 1 +10 · rewrapped ito −5
-
Blade
+10
73.9 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+1.4
Price: the more affordable, the more points +1.4
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
- 73.9 cm
- Sori
- 1 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting documented only in the photographs
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Shintō, no later than Manji 4 (1661)
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Cutting test
- 萬治四年二月十日 弐ツ胴切落 山野加右衛門尉永久（花押） (Manji yonen nigatsu tōka futatsu-dō kiriotosu Yamano Kaemon-no-jō Nagahisa kaō)The NBTHK does not rule on the cutting test: the inscription is on the tang and is not part of the paper.
- Motohaba
- 3,08 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,33 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,64 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,51 cm
- Blade weight
- 750 g
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