Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Osafune Morimitsu, signed and dated in the 8th month of Ōei 2 (1395), shortened in 1581, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers and a shirasaya bearing a sayagaki.
Morimitsu is one of the leading smiths of the Osafune school of Bizen in the Ōei era; according to the original seller, he was the younger brother of Moromitsu, and this blade is among his earliest works. The tang is signed 備前国住長船盛光作 (Bizen no kuni-jū Osafune Morimitsu saku) and dated 応永二年八月吉日 (Ōei ni-nen hachigatsu kichijitsu). It also carries an added inscription, 天正九年上摺之也 (probable reading: Tenshō kunen suriage kore nari), recording that the blade, originally about 2 shaku 3 sun long, was shortened in Tenshō 9 (1581); the signature survives and the tang has two mekugi-ana. Nagasa 66.7 cm, sori 1.4 cm. According to the original seller, the jigane is a fine, tight ko-itame with utsuri, and the hamon a wide-based gunome mixed with chōji and plentiful yō; the photographs show an irregular, undulating hamon along the blade. It is kept in a shirasaya with a long sayagaki and a gilt habaki, and comes with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers.
Strong points
- Signed and dated: 8th month of Ōei 2 (1395)
- An early work by Morimitsu, a master of Ōei-Bizen, according to the original seller
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers
- Tang inscription recording its shortening in 1581
- Shirasaya with sayagaki
Points to bear in mind
- Suriage blade: shortened in Tenshō 9 (1581), though the signature is preserved
- The listing does not state the condition or the polish of the blade
- Offered in shirasaya, without koshirae
Score
36.7 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
−20
Shortened tang (suriage) −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
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
0
66.7 cm: outside the usable range 0
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+11.7
Price: the more affordable, the more points +11.7
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
- 66.7 cm
- Sori
- 1.4 cm
- Tang
- Shortened tang (suriage)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- 8th month of Ōei 2 (1395)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 2,82 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,16 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,69 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,53 cm