Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Ōsaka-uchi katana by Chikuzen no Kami Nobuhide, pupil of Kiyomaro, dated the 11th month of Keiō 1 (1865), with an ubu tang and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers.
Katana by Chikuzen no Kami Nobuhide, pupil of Kiyomaro and one of the leading names of late-Edo shinshintō. According to the original seller, he worked in Ōsaka between 1864 and 1867 (the so-called Ōsaka-uchi works), received the title Chikuzen no Kami in 1865 and was also a celebrated engraver. This blade, forged in Ōsaka shortly after he received the title, is shinogi-zukuri with a low ihori-mune, wide, with a sharp ōkissaki and moderate sori: the stance of Bakumatsu katana. The original seller describes a ko-itame jigane mixed with itame, abundant ji-nie and chikei, and a gunome midare hamon with kinsuji and sunagashi; the photographs show the gunome midare. The tang is ubu, with kurijiri, sujikai yasurime and one mekugi-ana, signed 筑前守信秀於大坂造之 (Chikuzen no Kami Nobuhide Ōsaka ni oite kore o tsukuru) and dated 慶応元年十一月日 (Keiō gannen jūichigatsu hi). Gold-foiled copper habaki. The listing states the blade comes in shirasaya with an old polish; it has no koshirae. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, issued January 2006.
Strong points
- Ōsaka-uchi work by Nobuhide, pupil of Kiyomaro, signed with the place of forging
- Dated the 11th month of Keiō 1 (1865), shortly after receiving the title Chikuzen no Kami
- Ubu tang with a single mekugi-ana
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers
- Wide blade with ōkissaki and gunome midare hamon
Points to bear in mind
- No koshirae: the blade comes in shirasaya, stated by the original seller but not photographed
- Old polish according to the original seller, who describes it as free of major flaws
Score
132.2 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
+20
In good condition according to the original seller +20
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+15
74.8 cm: long blade, 74 cm or more +15
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+7.2
Price: the more affordable, the more points +7.2
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
- 74.8 cm
- Sori
- 1.3 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Kurihara Nobuhide
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 11th month of Keiō 1 (1865)
- Province
- Settsu
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,36 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,40 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,70 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,51 cm