Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by the first-generation Shimosaka Sadatsugu of Echizen, with a signed ubu tang, tachi-aoi crest and cutting inscription on the ura. Designated Jūyō Tōken by the NBTHK and kept in shirasaya.
Katana by the first-generation Shimosaka Sadatsugu, an Echizen smith closely associated with the first Echizen Yasutsugu. Signed on the omote 越前国下坂貞次 (Echizen no kuni Shimosaka Sadatsugu); the ura bears the 立葵紋 (tachi-aoi mon) carved below the habaki and, under the mekugi-ana, the added inscription 重胴及度々末世劔是也 (jūdō oyobu tabitabi masse no tsurugi kore nari), the same formula used by the first Yasutsugu. According to the designation text, the crest is that of Honda Hida no Kami Narishige, senior retainer of the Echizen house and patron of Yasutsugu, and the blade is placed around the Keichō era. Shinogi-zukuri with iori-mune, wide mihaba, thick kasane and chū-kissaki; nagasa 73.75 cm, sori 2.0 cm. According to the original seller and the NBTHK text, itame with mokume, ji-nie and chikei, and a ko-notare hamon mixed with gunome and chōji, rich nie, sunagashi and crescent-shaped tobiyaki, which the photographs show. Ubu tang with one mekugi-ana and keshō-yasuri. Two-piece gold-foil habaki. Kept in shirasaya with an ink sayagaki. Designated Jūyō Tōken by the NBTHK at the 34th session (1988).
Strong points
- Designated Jūyō Tōken by the NBTHK (34th session, 1988)
- Signed ubu tang: 越前国下坂貞次 (Echizen no kuni Shimosaka Sadatsugu)
- 立葵紋 (tachi-aoi mon) and cutting inscription 重胴及度々末世劔是也 (jūdō oyobu tabitabi masse no tsurugi kore nari) on the ura
- Ko-notare and gunome hamon with crescent tobiyaki, typical of the first Yasutsugu's circle
- Kept in shirasaya with ink sayagaki and a two-piece gold-foil habaki
Points to bear in mind
- Offered without koshirae: shirasaya only.
- Undated blade; the Keichō dating is a stylistic estimate from the designation text.
- The listing does not state the condition or the polish.
- The cutting inscription is on the tang; the NBTHK does not certify the cutting test.
Score
151.2 pointscurrent max. 255
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Certificate
+140
NBTHK Jūyō paper +140
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Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
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
+10
73.8 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
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Price
−8.8
Price: the more affordable, the more points −8.8
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
- 73.8 cm
- Sori
- 2 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Jūyō
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Shimosaka Sadatsugu
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Keichō era (1596–1615)
- Province
- Echizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Cutting test
- Inscribed on the tangThe NBTHK does not rule on the cutting test: the inscription is on the tang and is not part of the paper.
- Motokasane
- 0,83 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,65 cm