Kantei

NH-0354 Rank 23

Hōki no Kami Ason Masayuki

Shinshintō katana from Satsuma signed Hōki no Kami Ason Masayuki and dated to the 2nd month of Kansei 7 (1795), with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, a koshirae with a Higo-school tsuba and a shirasaya.

Shinshintō (1781-1876)2nd month of Kansei 7 (1795)SatsumaNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Katana by Hōki no Kami Ason Masayuki, a smith of Satsuma province (present-day Kagoshima) who, according to the original seller, trained in the Miyahara Masachika school, adopted the signature “Hōki no Kami Ason Masayuki” in Kansei 1 (1789) and ranks, together with Motohira, among the leading names of Satsuma shinshintō. The blade has a nagasa of 71.52 cm and a sori of 1.82 cm: wide, thick and with a long kissaki. The seller describes a well-worked ko-itame with ji-nie and chikei on a darkish jigane, a gunome-midare hamon with togari-gunome, a thick nioiguchi, sunagashi and kinsuji, and a notare bōshi with hakikake; the photographs of the hamon are consistent with this. The nakago appears ubu in the photographs, with one mekugi-ana, signed Hōki no Kami Taira Ason Masayuki and dated to the 2nd month of Kansei 7 (1795); the seller states the blade has been polished, and it carries a gold-foiled double habaki. The koshirae, which the seller describes without dating, has a kawari-nuri saya, an openwork iron Higo-school tsuba with a plum tree, gold-coloured dragon menuki and copper fuchi-kashira with plum blossoms in gold; a shirasaya is included. The photographed NBTHK origami certifies Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken (issued 1999).

Strong points

  • Signed and dated: Hōki no Kami Ason Masayuki, 2nd month of Kansei 7 (1795)
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken, origami photographed
  • Wide, thick blade of 71.52 cm nagasa with a long kissaki
  • Ubu nakago with a single mekugi-ana, as seen in the photographs
  • Complete koshirae with an openwork iron Higo-school tsuba and a kawari-nuri saya
  • Shirasaya included

Points to bear in mind

  • The koshirae is described but not dated; its age is not documented
  • The sageo, bright in colour and without wear in the photographs, appears recent
  • The blade's condition is stated only as polished, with no further detail from the original seller

Score breakdown

68.5/100

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 0 of 18 Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin · restored: new sageo
  4. Declared condition 20 of 20 Recent polish declared by the seller at origin
  5. Blade 8 of 8 71.5 cm: within the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
  7. Price 2.5 of 10 Rank 105 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest