Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana signed by Chōjusai Tsunatoshi and dated to the 2nd month of Bunkyū 3 (1863), with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, kept in a shirasaya with sayagaki.
Katana by Chōjusai Tsunatoshi, the name adopted in his later years by Tsunatoshi, a late Edo smith who, according to the original seller, trained under Suishinshi Masahide. The blade has a nagasa of 69.5 cm and a sori of 1.5 cm. The original seller describes it as wide and thick, with a long kissaki, koitame jigane with a strong grain and a rounded gunome-midare hamon in ko-nie with sunagashi, and a midarekomi bōshi with a rounded turn-back; the photographs of the hamon show the gunome-midare along the whole blade. The tang, which appears intact in the photographs with a single mekugi-ana, is signed 長寿斎綱俊 (Chōjusai Tsunatoshi) on the omote and dated 文久三年二月日 (Bunkyū sannen nigatsu hi) on the ura. It holds an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate, photographed, number 121599, issued in 1990. It is kept in a shirasaya with an ink sayagaki attributing it to the shodai, and has no koshirae. The original seller notes that, given the date, it may be a joint work of the first and second generations.
Strong points
- Signed and dated to the 2nd month of Bunkyū 3 (1863)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate, photographed
- Tang intact in the photographs, with a single mekugi-ana
- Wide, thick blade with a gunome-midare hamon and sunagashi, according to the original seller
- Shirasaya with ink sayagaki
Points to bear in mind
- No koshirae: offered in shirasaya only.
- The listing does not state the condition or the polish of the blade.
- According to the original seller, it may be a joint work of the first and second generations.
Score
99.5 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+20
Tang intact according to the photographs +20
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+10
69.5 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+24.5
Price: the more affordable, the more points +24.5
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
- 69.5 cm
- Sori
- 1.5 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Chōunsai Tsunatoshi
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Bunkyū 3 (1863)
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,16 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,25 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,77 cm
- Blade weight
- 845 g