Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana signed and dated by Motohira of Satsuma in 1782, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers, shirasaya and koshirae.
Katana by Motohira, one of the leading smiths of the early shinshintō period in Satsuma province, working in the service of his domain. Signed 薩陽士元平 (Satsuyō-shi Motohira) on the omote and dated 天明二年二月日 (Tenmei ni-nen nigatsu hi) on the ura, the second month of Tenmei 2 (1782); according to the original seller, the smith was 38 at the time and would receive the title Yamato no Kami in 1789. The blade measures 69.84 cm in nagasa with 1.36 cm of sori, a small kissaki and bōhi on both sides, visible in the photographs. The original seller describes a tightly forged koitame jigane with fine jinie and active chikei, and a nie-based hamon of notare and gunome with abundant sunagashi and kinsuji. The tang, with a single mekugi-ana, appears intact in the photographs. It comes with a shirasaya and a koshirae with black lacquered saya, green-wrapped tsuka, a round iron tsuba carved with trees, shakudō fuchi-kashira with a crane and reeds, and peony menuki. The NBTHK awarded it Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken (no. 154287, 12 August Heisei 21, 2009).
Strong points
- Signed 薩陽士元平 (Satsuyō-shi Motohira) and dated 天明二年二月日 (Tenmei ni-nen nigatsu hi)
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate
- Tang intact in the photographs, with a single mekugi-ana
- Complete koshirae and shirasaya
Points to bear in mind
- The listing does not mention the condition of the blade.
- The original seller describes the mounting's fittings but does not date it or provide papers for it.
- In the photographs, the tsuka wrapping (ito) appears to have been redone.
Score
102.2 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
+10
69.8 cm: within the usable range +10
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+12.2
Price: the more affordable, the more points +12.2
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
- 69.8 cm
- Sori
- 1.4 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
- Oku Motohira
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Tenmei 2 (1782)
- Province
- Satsuma
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 3,10 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,18 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,70 cm
- Blade weight
- 735 g
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