Kantei

NH-0469 Rank 87

Tachibana Enryūshi Fujiwara Kunihide

Shinshintō katana of 80.6 cm, signed and dated Tenpō 14 (1843) by Tachibana Enryūshi Kunihide, with a long votive inscription, Tokubetsu Hozon paper, koshirae and shirasaya.

Shintō (1596-1780)2nd month of Tenpō 14 (1843)SagamiNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A blade by Tachibana Enryūshi Fujiwara Kunihide, who describes himself in his signature as a descendant of the Sōshū Masamune line. Dated to the second month of Tenpō 14 (1843), it belongs to the shinshintō period. The tang carries a long inscription on both faces: besides the signature and date, an oath sworn before the gods and a dedication to Koitabashi Fujiwara Masayasu of Annaka castle in Kōzuke. According to the original seller, the blade commemorates the smith reaching the full maturity of his craft. It measures 80.6 cm in nagasa with 1.6 cm of sori, 3.36 cm motohaba and 1.17 cm kasane, and weighs 1385 g without mounts: a broad, robust shape. The original seller describes a tightly packed ko-itame and a suguha hamon mixed with gunome midare, rich in sunagashi and kinsuji. The photographs show an intact tang with a single mekugi-ana. It comes with a koshirae with an iron tsuba, a tsuka wrapped in brown ito over white same, and a black lacquered saya with reddish highlights and metal bands, as well as a shirasaya. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper issued in 2019.

Strong points

  • Long inscription on both faces of the tang, with signature, date of Tenpō 14 (1843) and dedication
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper (2019)
  • Intact tang according to the photographs, with a single mekugi-ana
  • Long, robust blade: 80.6 cm nagasa and 1.17 cm kasane
  • Comes with a complete koshirae and a shirasaya

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller neither describes nor dates the koshirae: it is documented only in the photographs.
  • The tsuka ito looks tight and clean, probably rewrapped; the saya shows rubbing and a few small lacquer losses.
  • The original seller does not state the condition of the blade.

Score breakdown

58.4/100

The score shares out 100 points: Signature and date 18 · Tang 22 · Mounting 18 · Declared condition 20 · Blade 8 · Shirasaya 4 · Price 10. 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).

  1. Signature and date 18 of 18 Signed and with an engraved date
  2. Tang 20 of 22 Tang intact according to the photographs
  3. Mounting -3 of 18 Mounting documented only in the photographs · restored: rewrapped ito
  4. Declared condition 11 of 20 Condition not declared
  5. Blade 6 of 8 80.6 cm: close to the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 4 of 4 With a storage shirasaya
  7. Price 2.4 of 10 Rank 115 of 151 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest