Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shinshintō katana signed by Mishina Mutsu no Kami Ittetsusai Ōmichi and dated the 8th month of Keiō 2 (1866), with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, kept in shirasaya.
A late Edo-period katana by Ittetsusai Ōmichi of the Mishina school. According to the original seller, the line of the Mutsu no Kami Ōmichi claimed descent from Shizu Saburō Kaneuji; the signature itself describes the smith as a ninth-generation descendant. The NBTHK paper places the blade in Ise province. The blade measures 75.2 cm in nagasa with 1.2 cm of sori, a motohaba of 3.54 cm and a motokasane of 0.78 cm, and weighs 1151 g. The photographs show a broad, robust shape with an extended kissaki and a well-defined gunome hamon running the full length of the edge. The tang, intact as far as the photographs show, has a single mekugi-ana and bears on the omote the signature 三品陸奥守九世孫一徹斎大道作 (Mishina Mutsu no Kami kyūsei-son Ittetsusai Ōmichi saku) and on the ura the date 慶應二寅年八月吉日 (Keiō ni tora-doshi hachigatsu kichijitsu). It is kept in shirasaya, without koshirae, and comes with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate issued in February of Reiwa 8 (2026).
Strong points
- Signed and dated: 8th month of Keiō 2 (1866)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers
- Tang intact according to the photographs, with a single mekugi-ana
- Broad 75.2 cm blade with a well-defined gunome hamon
Points to bear in mind
- Offered in shirasaya only, without koshirae.
- The original seller's listing does not state the condition of the blade.
Score
101 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
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+15
75.2 cm: long blade, 74 cm or more +15
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+21
Price: the more affordable, the more points +21
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
- 75.2 cm
- Sori
- 1.2 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Ittetsusai Ōmichi
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 8th month of Keiō 2 (1866)
- Province
- Mino
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,54 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,41 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,78 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,70 cm
- Blade weight
- 1151 g