Kantei

NH-0388 Rank 44

Bitchū no Kuni Mizuta-jū Kunishige

備中國水田住國重作

Katana signed by Kunishige of Mizuta (Bitchū), early Edo period, with an intact nakago bearing a single mekugi-ana, shirasaya and a complete koshirae.

Shintō (1596-1780)Early Edo periodBitchūNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Katana signed by Kunishige of the Mizuta school of Bitchū province; the original seller places it in the early Edo period (shintō). The blade measures 70.9 cm in nagasa with 1 cm of sori. The photographs show a blade without hi, with a medium kissaki, a hamon of notare combined with gunome, and a hada with visible activity in the ji. The nakago keeps its original shape and tip, with a single mekugi-ana, and carries the full signature 備中國水田住國重作 (Bitchū no Kuni Mizuta-jū Kunishige saku), with no engraved date. It comes with a shirasaya and a koshirae documented only in the photographs: tsuka with black ito over same, plain black fuchi and kashira, an iron tsuba decorated with willow branches and a swallow, a black lacquered saya with green sageo, and a ribbed copper habaki. The original seller offers it with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, which does not appear in the photographs.

Strong points

  • Full, legible signature: Bitchū no Kuni Mizuta-jū Kunishige saku
  • Intact nakago with a single mekugi-ana, according to the photographs
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper stated by the original seller
  • Complete koshirae with an iron willow-and-swallow tsuba, plus shirasaya

Points to bear in mind

  • The Tokubetsu Hozon paper does not appear in the photographs
  • The koshirae is neither dated nor described by the original seller; the ito looks tight and clean, probably redone
  • The original seller does not state the condition of the blade

Score breakdown

64/100

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 22 of 22 Tang intact according to the seller at origin
  3. Mounting 1 of 18 Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
  4. Declared condition 11 of 20 Condition not declared
  5. Blade 8 of 8 70.9 cm: within the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 4 of 4 With a storage shirasaya
  7. Price 8 of 10 Rank 28 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest