Kantei

NH-0385 Rank 93

Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke

河内守国助

Katana signed by Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke, in the Osaka shintō tradition, with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper, a complete aka-ishime koshirae and a shirasaya.

Shintō (1596-1780)Manji–Kanbun eras (1658–1673)Settsu (Osaka)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Katana by Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke, one of the leading names of Osaka shintō; the original seller attributes the blade to the second generation, known as Naka Kawachi, active between 1658 and 1673. The blade measures 60.8 cm nagasa with 0.7 cm sori; the photographs show a clean polish, a crisp hamon and a well-preserved kissaki, along with the kitae-kizu and light black rust the seller declares. The tang, photographed on both faces, keeps its original end and continuous yasurime, with two mekugi-ana and the signature of Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke on the omote. It comes with a complete koshirae: black and red aka-ishime saya with a chigai-bishi kojiri, round iron tsuba with hanabishi in sukashi, fuchi-kashira bearing the Big Dipper in gold dots and kuyō-mon menuki over a dark green ito that has been rewrapped. An NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken origami, legible in the photographs, and the original shirasaya are included.

Strong points

  • Signature of Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke legible on an unshortened tang with its original end
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken origami photographed with the sword
  • Complete, coherent koshirae: aka-ishime saya, iron tsuba in sukashi and fuchi-kashira with the Big Dipper in gold
  • Kuyō-mon menuki and chigai-bishi kojiri, family crests visible in the photographs
  • The shirasaya is also preserved

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller notes some kitae-kizu and light black rust on the blade
  • A small dent in the saya lacquer, declared and visible in the photographs
  • The ito of the tsuka has been rewrapped
  • The seller describes the mounting but does not date it

Score breakdown

55.7/100

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 10 of 18 Signed, with no engraved date
  2. Tang 18 of 22 Tang intact according to the photographs, with 2 mekugi-ana
  3. Mounting 0 of 18 Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin · restored: rewrapped ito
  4. Declared condition 13 of 20 Minor flaws declared
  5. Blade 4 of 8 60.8 cm: outside the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 4 of 4 With a storage shirasaya
  7. Price 6.7 of 10 Rank 46 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest