Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana by Osafune Arimitsu, signed and dated in the 8th month of Bunmei 10 (1478), with declared Tokubetsu Hozon papers, shirasaya and an aikuchi koshirae with kozuka and kōgai.
Katana by Osafune Arimitsu, a Bizen smith active in the second half of the 15th century, of the same family and school as Katsumitsu and Munemitsu, with whom, according to the original seller, he also made collaborative works; blades bearing his own signature are very rare. The tang is signed 備州長舩在光 (Bishū Osafune Arimitsu) and dated 文明十年八月日 (Bunmei jūnen hachigatsu hi), with a single mekugi-ana. Nagasa 65.5 cm, sori 1.82 cm: a slender blade with a short tang, of the katate-uchi type intended for one-handed use. It carries bō-hi ending in kaku-dome with tsure-hi on both sides. According to the original seller, the jigane is itame tightening into ko-mokume with strong utsuri, and the hamon mixes ko-chōji and gunome with ashi, yō and kinsuji; the photographs show an irregular hamon with deep valleys. Gold-foiled double habaki. It comes with a shirasaya, according to the listing, and an aikuchi koshirae without tsuba, its saya wrapped in brown-lacquered leather, with a kozuka and a kōgai the original seller attributes to the Ko-kinkō school. The original seller declares NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers.
Strong points
- Signed and dated: 8th month of Bunmei 10 (1478)
- Signed work by Osafune Arimitsu, rare according to the original seller
- Declared NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers
- Aikuchi koshirae with kozuka and kōgai attributed to the Ko-kinkō school
- Late 15th-century katate-uchi form with bō-hi and tsure-hi
Points to bear in mind
- The papers do not appear in the photographs; they are declared by the original seller.
- The mounting is an aikuchi without tsuba and is undated; the ito appears to have been redone.
- The listing does not state the blade's condition; the photographs show fine surface scratches on the shinogi-ji.
- The shirasaya is listed but does not appear in the photographs.
Score
92.3 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+20
Tang intact according to the photographs +20
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
0
Mounting described, undated +5 · rewrapped ito −5
-
Blade
0
65.5 cm: outside the usable range 0
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+12.3
Price: the more affordable, the more points +12.3
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
- 65.5 cm
- Sori
- 1.8 cm
- Tang
- Intact according to the photographs
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Osafune Arimitsu
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- 8th month of Bunmei 10 (1478)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 2,85 cm
- Sakihaba
- 1,91 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,64 cm
- Length when mounted
- 91,81 cm
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