Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Kanbun-era katana signed 丹波守吉道 (Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi) with the imperial chrysanthemum, NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, koshirae and shirasaya.
Katana signed on the omote 丹波守吉道 (Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi), with the 菊紋 (kikumon), the imperial chrysanthemum, carved above the signature. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, no. 1026523, issued in June 2026, attributes it to the third generation of the Kyoto line, 京三代 (Kyō sandai), of the Mishina school of Yamashiro; according to the original seller, this smith received the Tanba no Kami title in 1662 and worked in the Kanbun era. The blade measures 70.0 cm in nagasa with 1.2 cm of sori, and the original seller describes a sudareba hamon (簾刃, sudareba), the school's signature pattern. The photographs show the nakago with the machi moved up and two mekugi-ana, the original one beside the signature and another higher up, and an uninscribed ura. It comes with a koshirae with a speckled dark green lacquered saya, an iron tsuba and a tsuka wrapped in dark blue ito over same; the original seller describes the fuchi-kashira with quails and millet and the menuki with autumn grasses and an insect, without dating the mounting. A shirasaya is also included.
Strong points
- Signature 丹波守吉道 (Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi) with the imperial kikumon carved
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, attributed to the third Kyoto generation
- Complete koshirae with quail-and-millet fuchi-kashira
- Supplied with both koshirae and shirasaya
Points to bear in mind
- Nakago with the machi moved up (machi-okuri) and a second mekugi-ana
- The listing does not state the blade's condition or polish
- The mounting is described but neither dated nor separately papered
Score
77.7 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
−10
Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri) −10
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
+5
Mounting described, undated +5
-
Blade
+10
70 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+22.7
Price: the more affordable, the more points +22.7
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
- 70 cm
- Sori
- 1.2 cm
- Tang
- Full-length tang, with the machi moved up (machi-okuri)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Kanbun era (1661–1673)
- Province
- Yamashiro
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
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