Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
A wide, thick katana by Kunihira, a mid-Edo Satsuma smith, with bo-hi on both sides and a nie-based gunome midare hamon; in shirasaya, with Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers announced.
A blade by Kunihira, a smith of Satsuma province active around the Enkyō era (1744–1748), in the middle of the Edo period. The original seller notes its closeness to the style of Motohira, with a very similar hamon. The blade measures 69.2 cm in nagasa with 1.0 cm of sori; it is wide, thick and heavy (3.3 cm at the base, 2.38 cm at the tip, 0.68 cm kasane and 870 g), and carries bo-hi on both sides. According to the original seller, the jigane is a well-worked ko-itame with ji-nie and chikei, and the nie-based hamon combines gunome midare and togari gunome with sunagashi and kinsuji; the bōshi is rounded. The photographs show the undulating hamon and the bo-hi along the whole blade. The tang, with a machi-okuri of about 3 cm, has two mekugi-ana and is signed 薩摩國住平國平 (probable reading: Satsuma no kuni-jū Taira Kunihira), as tachi-mei according to the seller. It comes in shirasaya with a single-piece silver habaki. The original seller announces NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, yet to be issued.
Strong points
- Tang signature: 薩摩國住平國平 (probable reading: Satsuma no kuni-jū Taira Kunihira)
- Wide, thick blade with bo-hi on both sides
- Nie-based gunome midare hamon, with sunagashi and kinsuji according to the original seller
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers announced by the original seller
- In shirasaya with a silver habaki
Points to bear in mind
- According to the original seller, the Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper will be issued later; the photographs do not show this blade's certificate.
- The original seller declares two tiny ware, which he does not consider serious.
- Machi-okuri of about 3 cm, with two mekugi-ana.
- Offered without mounting (koshirae), in shirasaya only.
Score
88.4 pointscurrent max. 255
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Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
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Tang
−10
Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri) −10
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Declared condition
+5
The original seller declares flaws 0 · small kitae-ware, away from the edge −5 · recent polish +10
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Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
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Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+10
69.2 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+28.4
Price: the more affordable, the more points +28.4
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
- 69.2 cm
- Sori
- 1 cm
- Tang
- Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Satsuma Kunihira
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Enkyō era (1744–1748)
- Province
- Satsuma
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Minor flaws declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3,3 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,38 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,68 cm
- Blade weight
- 870 g