Kantei

NH-0299 Rank 53

Nagamitsu

Sue-Bizen katana signed by Jirōbyōe-no-jō Nagamitsu of Osafune and dated to the 8th month of Eiroku 4 (1561), with an intact nakago, a declared Tokubetsu Hozon paper and a complete koshirae.

Kotō (up to 1596)8th month of Eiroku 4 (1561)BizenNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Katana from the Osafune school of Bizen, the work of Nagamitsu (永光), Jirōbyōe-no-jō, one of the Sue-Bizen smiths of the Eiroku era. The blade has a nagasa of 70.0 cm and a sori of 1.5 cm; according to the original seller it is of shinogi-zukuri construction with iori-mune, an itame hada with tightly packed ko-itame and utsuri rising towards the shinogi, and a broad suguha hamon in ko-nie with koshiba, ashi and nioi-kuzure; the bōshi is of the same character, with hakikake and a short kaeri. The photographs show the whole blade, the elongated kissaki and the nakago, with a single mekugi-ana, katte-sagari yasurime and kurijiri, apparently intact. Long signature on the omote, “Bizen no kuni jū Osafune Jirōbyōe-no-jō Nagamitsu saku”, and date on the ura, “Eiroku 4 nen 8 gatsu kichijitsu” (1561). The seller states an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, which does not appear in the photographs. It comes with a complete koshirae: black-lacquered saya with sageo, tsuka with same and brown silk wrap, dark fuchi-kashira with gold flowers and an iron tsuba pierced with circular and floral motifs; the seller includes it without describing or dating it.

Strong points

  • Long signature with the honorific title Jirōbyōe-no-jō and a date of Eiroku 4 (1561) on the tang
  • Apparently intact nakago with a single mekugi-ana
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper stated by the original seller
  • Complete koshirae with a pierced iron tsuba and fuchi-kashira with gold flowers
  • Blade declared sound, with a tightly packed hada and utsuri according to the original seller

Points to bear in mind

  • The koshirae is neither described nor dated by the original seller: it is known only from the photographs
  • The certificate does not appear in the photographs; the paper is taken as declared
  • Only two composite photographs: the condition of the mounting cannot be assessed in detail

Score breakdown

62.2/100

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 -2 of 18 Mounting documented only in the photographs
  4. Declared condition 17 of 20 Sound condition according to the seller at origin
  5. Blade 8 of 8 70 cm: within the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
  7. Price 1.2 of 10 Rank 123 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest