Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Kōzuke Daijō Sukesada of the Osafune school of Bizen, signed and dated to the 8th month of Hōei 6 (1709), with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers and a complete mounting.
Kōzuke Daijō Sukesada is one of the leading figures of Bizen shintō. According to the original seller, he was the son of Shichibei Sukesada, was born in Kan'ei 10 (1633), received the title Kōzuke Daijō in Kanbun 4 (1664) and led the Osafune Sukesada group at the height of its demand, living to the age of 89. The blade has a nagasa of 66.6 cm and a sori of 1.8 cm, a width of 2.88 cm at the base and 1.85 cm at the kissaki, and a kasane of 6.2 and 4.2 mm. The photographs show an ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana; the omote bears the signature 備前国長船住上野大掾藤原祐定作 (Bizen no Kuni Osafune-jū Kōzuke Daijō Fujiwara Sukesada saku) and the ura the date 宝永六年八月日 (Hōei rokunen hachigatsu hi), the 8th month of Hōei 6 (1709), a work from the smith's later years. The photographs also show a complete mounting: an iron tsuba with clouds in relief, a dark-metal fuchi-kashira with peonies and birds in gold, menuki, a tsuka with same and purple wrapping, a black-lacquered saya and a sageo; the listing neither describes nor dates it. The blade comes with a gilt habaki and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, no. 1026132, issued in Reiwa 8 (2026).
Strong points
- Signed and dated: 8th month of Hōei 6 (1709)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, no. 1026132
- Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana, per the photographs
- Work by one of the leading smiths of Bizen shintō
- Complete mounting with iron tsuba and fuchi-kashira with gold peonies
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller neither describes nor dates the mounting; it is known only from the photographs.
- The tsuka wrapping, the saya lacquer and the sageo appear recent in the photographs.
- The listing does not state the condition of the blade.
Score
81.1 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
−20
Mounting the original seller says nothing about 0 · relacquered saya −10 · rewrapped ito −5 · new sageo −5
-
Blade
0
66.6 cm: outside the usable range 0
-
Shirasaya
0
No shirasaya: one will have to be made 0
-
Price
+26.1
Price: the more affordable, the more points +26.1
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
- 66.6 cm
- Sori
- 1.8 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting documented only in the photographs
- Storage shirasaya
- No
- Smith
- Yokoyama Sukesada
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- 8th month of Hōei 6 (1709)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 2,88 cm
- Sakihaba
- 1,85 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,62 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,42 cm
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