Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Sengoku-period Bizen Osafune katana signed by Nagamitsu and dated 1561, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, shirasaya and koshirae.
Blade by Nagamitsu, a smith of the Osafune school of Bizen in the Sengoku period (sue-Bizen). According to the original seller, it is shinogi-zukuri with a gyō mune, a fairly deep sori, a width that barely tapers and an extended kissaki: a powerful shape typical of the Eiroku years. The seller describes an even itame jigane with tightly forged ko-itame and utsuri, and a hiro-suguha hamon in ko-nie with koshiba, ashi and nioi-kuzure, with a bōshi of the same character and a short kaeri; the seller also describes the blade as healthy. The tang, which the photographs show intact, with a kurijiri tip, a single mekugi-ana and katte-sagari file marks, bears on the omote the signature 備前国住長舩次郎兵衛尉永光作 (Bizen no kuni-jū Osafune Jirōbei-no-jō Nagamitsu saku) and on the ura the date 永禄二二年八月吉日 (Eiroku yonen hachigatsu kichijitsu). It comes with a shirasaya, declared by the seller, and a photographed koshirae: pierced iron tsuba with floral motifs, fuchi-kashira with gilt peonies, tsuka with brown ito and black lacquered saya. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper, according to the original seller.
Strong points
- Signed and dated 1561, a Sengoku-period Osafune work
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper
- Tang intact according to the photographs, with a single mekugi-ana
- Hiro-suguha in ko-nie with ashi and nioi-kuzure, according to the original seller
- With shirasaya and a complete koshirae with pierced iron tsuba
Points to bear in mind
- The koshirae is neither described nor dated by the seller; it is documented only in the photographs
- The tsuka ito appears to have been rewrapped, with no visible wear
- The paper and the shirasaya do not appear in the photographs
Score
142.3 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+20
Tang intact according to the photographs +20
-
Declared condition
+30
Healthy according to the original seller +30
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
−5
Mounting the original seller says nothing about 0 · rewrapped ito −5
-
Blade
+10
70 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+7.3
Price: the more affordable, the more points +7.3
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
- 70 cm
- Sori
- 1.5 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting documented only in the photographs
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Osafune Nagamitsu
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- 8th month of Eiroku 4 (1561)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,10 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,20 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,90 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,60 cm
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