Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Osafune Yasumitsu, a Bizen smith of the early Muromachi period, with an ubu tang signed 康光 (Yasumitsu) and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers. Presented in shirasaya.
Osafune Yasumitsu worked in Bizen in the early Muromachi period and is, according to the original seller, one of the leading figures of the so-called Ōei Bizen, alongside Morimitsu and Moromitsu. This shinogi-zukuri blade with iori-mune measures about 60 cm in nagasa with 1.8 cm of sori, showing pronounced saki-zori and a slightly extended chū-kissaki. The photographs show a bōhi on both faces ending rounded above the habaki and a gunome-chōji midare hamon; the original seller describes a ko-itame jigane mixed with mokume, with ji-nie and utsuri, ashi and yō in the ha, and a notare bōshi returning with a slightly pointed tip. The tang is ubu, with katte-sagari file marks, two mekugi-ana and the signature 康光 (Yasumitsu). It is kept in shirasaya with a one-piece gold-foiled habaki, and comes with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers (August 2023) and a Tokyo registration card from 1952. The original seller states the blade is healthy.
Strong points
- Signed 康光 (Yasumitsu) on an ubu tang with two mekugi-ana
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, photographed
- A leading smith of the Ōei Bizen, early Muromachi period
- Gunome-chōji midare hamon and bōhi on both faces
- Blade declared healthy by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- Presented in shirasaya only, without koshirae
- The listing does not state a recent polish
- The signature does not settle which generation of the smith made it
Score
118.7 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin, with 2 mekugi-ana +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
0
60 cm: outside the usable range 0
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+8.7
Price: the more affordable, the more points +8.7
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
- 60 cm
- Sori
- 1.8 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Osafune Yasumitsu
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- Early Muromachi (c. 1429)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 2,82 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,00 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,70 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,60 cm