Kantei
‹ Catalogue

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

The piece

Kotō blade signed by Nakaji Moritsugu, designated Jūyō Tōken at the 16th NBTHK session, with a sayagaki by Hon'ami Kōson, shirasaya and full mounting.

Kotō blade signed 備州中路住盛次作 (Bishū Nakaji-jū Moritsugu saku), a tachi signature (tachi-mei) preserved at the end of a shortened (suriage) tang with three mekugi-ana. The NBTHK designated it Jūyō Tōken at the 16th session (1967); the paper describes a shinogi-zukuri blade with iori-mune, deep curvature and a small kissaki, a well-forged ko-itame jigane with fine ji-nie, and a ko-midare hamon mixed with ko-gunome, ashi, yō, tobiyaki and nijūba. The original seller places it in the Ko-Aoe school of Bitchū, in the late Kamakura period; the paper's commentary notes that its style is closer to Bingo work, that no other works by the smith are known, and that a full study remains to be done. It keeps its shirasaya with a sayagaki by Hon'ami Kōson dated 1954. The mounting has a black lacquered saya, a tsuka with light ito, gilt dragon menuki, a shibuichi fuchi, a horn kashira and a pierced iron tsuba, described by the original seller without a date. Gold-covered double habaki. Nagasa 70.9 cm and sori 2.6 cm according to the paper.

Strong points

  • Jūyō Tōken, 16th NBTHK session (1967), paper photographed
  • Tachi signature preserved on the tang despite shortening
  • Sayagaki by Hon'ami Kōson (1954) on the shirasaya
  • Full mounting in addition to the shirasaya
  • A rare work: the paper knows no other blades by this smith

Points to bear in mind

  • Shortened tang (suriage), with the signature near the end
  • The original seller does not state the condition of the blade
  • The smith's school and province remain open according to the paper itself
  • Undated mounting; the glossy, unmarked saya appears relacquered

Score

109.4 pointscurrent max. 255

  1. Certificate +140

    NBTHK Jūyō paper +140

  2. Tang −30

    Shortened tang (suriage) −20 · 1 extra mekugi-ana −10

  3. Declared condition −20

    The original seller says nothing about the condition −20

  4. Signature and date +15

    Signed, with no engraved date +15

  5. Mounting −5

    Mounting described, undated +5 · relacquered saya −10

  6. Blade +10

    70.9 cm: within the usable range +10

  7. Shirasaya +5

    With a storage shirasaya +5

  8. Price −5.6

    Price: the more affordable, the more points −5.6

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).

Nagasa
70.9 cm
Sori
2.6 cm
Tang
Shortened tang (suriage)
Certificate
NBTHK Jūyō
Mounting
Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
Storage shirasaya
Yes
Period
Kotō (up to 1596)
Dating
Late Kamakura period (14th century)
Province
Bitchu
Mekugi-ana
3
Condition
Condition not declared
Signed
Yes
With an engraved date
No
Motohaba
2,65 cm
Sakihaba
1,70 cm
Motokasane
0,65 cm
Blade weight
690 g

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