Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Late Muromachi kotō katana signed Masatsugu, of the Sakakura Seki school of Mino, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers. Offered in shirasaya, without mounting.
Katana of the Sakakura Seki school of Mino province, forged in the late Muromachi period. According to the original seller, Masatsugu is the early signature of the smith who later signed Masatoshi, one of the most renowned makers of cutting blades of the Warring States era, and the school, descended from the Naoe Shizu, was famed for the effectiveness of its swords. The blade measures 78.6 cm in nagasa with 1.2 cm of sori, a motohaba of 3.25 cm and a kasane of 0.75 cm: a long, robust katana. The original seller describes a hamon of gunome-chōji midare with sharp peaks, bright and lively, with a broad, soft nioiguchi. The photographs show the tang with a single mekugi-ana and the signature 正次 (Masatsugu) on the omote beside the hole, with an ubu appearance. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper, issued in 2025, records it as a katana signed Masatsugu, of Sakakura Seki. The listing states that it is kept in shirasaya; no mounting is included.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper (2025)
- Signed kotō blade of the Sakakura Seki school of Mino
- Tang of ubu appearance with a single mekugi-ana
- Long, robust blade: 78.6 cm nagasa
Points to bear in mind
- No mounting: the listing only declares the shirasaya, which does not appear in the photographs
- The listing does not state the condition of the blade or the date of its polish
- The identification of Masatsugu as Masatoshi's early signature comes from the original seller; the paper only reads Masatsugu, of Sakakura Seki
Score
88.1 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
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+15
78.6 cm: long blade, 74 cm or more +15
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+18.1
Price: the more affordable, the more points +18.1
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
- 78.6 cm
- Sori
- 1.2 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Sakakura Masatoshi
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- Late Muromachi (16th century)
- Province
- Mino
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3,25 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,1 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,75 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,5 cm