Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana signed by Sukesada of Osafune, Bizen, attributed to the Tenmei era (1781–1789), with an ubu tang and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers according to the original seller. Presented in shirasaya.
Katana from Bizen province, signed on the omote 備前國長船住祐定 (Bizen no kuni Osafune-jū Sukesada). The name Sukesada was used by dozens of Osafune smiths from the late Muromachi period onwards; according to the original seller, this blade is attributed to the Sukesada working around the Tenmei era, in the shinshintō period, whose works are considered scarce. Shinogi-zukuri with iori-mune, a nagasa of 67.8 cm, sori of 2.0 cm, motohaba of 3.23 cm and a thick kasane of 0.87 cm; an extended chū-kissaki and a bare-blade weight of 914 g. According to the original seller, the jigane is well-forged itame with ji-nie and chikei, the hamon is suguha-based with gunome and notare, rich in nie with fine sunagashi, and the bōshi is ko-maru with a fairly deep kaeri. The photographs show an ubu nakago with kiri yasurime, a kurijiri tip and a single mekugi-ana. The blade is kept in shirasaya with its cloth bag and a gold-foiled copper habaki. The original seller describes the condition as good and declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate issued in 2017.
Strong points
- Full signature on the omote: 備前國長船住祐定 (Bizen no kuni Osafune-jū Sukesada)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, according to the original seller
- Ubu nakago with a single mekugi-ana, visible in the photographs
- Robust blade: 0.87 cm kasane, extended chū-kissaki and 914 g weight
Points to bear in mind
- No koshirae: the blade comes in shirasaya only
- The blade is undated; the Tenmei era comes from the attribution cited by the original seller
- The certificate is not shown in the photographs
Score
140.7 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
+30
Healthy according to the original seller +30
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+5
67.8 cm: close to the usable range +5
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+25.7
Price: the more affordable, the more points +25.7
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
- 67.8 cm
- Sori
- 2 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Osafune Sukesada
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- Tenmei era (1781–1789)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3,23 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,11 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,87 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,50 cm
- Blade weight
- 914 g