Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shinshintō katana from Chikugo, signed and dated 1847, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, black lacquered mounting and shirasaya.
Katana forged by Kiyohide in Chikugo province at the end of the Edo period. According to the original seller, he served the Arima clan of Kurume as a retained smith and received the title Ōmi no Suke in 1845. The tang, shown intact in the photographs with a single mekugi-ana, is signed 筑後国青木近江介源清秀 (Chikugo no Kuni Aoki Ōmi no Suke Minamoto Kiyohide) on the omote and dated 弘化四年二月日 (Kōka yonen nigatsu hi) on the ura. Nagasa 63.6 cm, sori 1.7 cm. The photographs show an undulating gunome-midare hamon along the whole blade. The NBTHK certified it as Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken (特別保存刀剣, tokubetsu hozon tōken) in February 2025, certificate no. 1024025. The mounting has a black lacquered saya, a tsuka wrapped in lacquered cord, shakudō nanako fuchi-kashira with gold, menuki of a mounted warrior and a mokkō tsuba with gold kiri motifs, plus a gilt habaki. The seller describes it piece by piece but does not date it: he considers the metal fittings Edo period and the wooden parts later than the blade. A shirasaya is included.
Strong points
- Signed and dated: 2nd month of Kōka 4 (1847)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers (no. 1024025)
- Intact tang with a single mekugi-ana
- Complete mounting with shakudō and gold fittings
- Shirasaya included
Points to bear in mind
- The mounting has no papers and no date; according to the original seller, the wooden parts are later than the blade
- The saya shows wear and small lacquer chips, acknowledged by the seller
- The sageo is recent
Score
105.6 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
0
Mounting described, undated +5 · new sageo −5
-
Blade
0
63.6 cm: outside the usable range 0
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+25.6
Price: the more affordable, the more points +25.6
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).
Measurements
- Nagasa
- 63.6 cm
- Sori
- 1.7 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Aoki Kiyohide
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Kōka 4 (1847)
- Province
- Chikugo (Kurume, Fukuoka)
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
A new mounting or a polish for your blade? Custom koshirae · Polishing