Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Signed, ubu katana by the third generation of Darani Tachibana Katsukuni of Kaga province, with a sanbonsugi-style togari-gunome hamon, kept in shirasaya and with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers.
Katana by the third generation of Darani Tachibana Katsukuni, of the Darani school of Kaga province. According to the original seller, the school derives from the Hashizume school, the name Katsukuni was handed down throughout the Edo period, and its style follows the Mino tradition, taking the sanbonsugi of Magoroku Kanemoto as its model; the seller places this blade in the mid-Edo period, around 1711. It is shinogi-zukuri with iori-mune and chū-kissaki, 69.3 cm nagasa and 1.5 cm sori, broad at the base (3.32 cm) and with bōhi on both sides. The original seller describes a dense itame jigane with ji-nie and chikei, and a sanbonsugi-style togari-gunome hamon with nie-suji and kinsuji; the photographs clearly show the sharp, regular peaks of the hamon. The tang is ubu, with takanoha yasurime and one mekugi-ana, and is signed 加州住陀羅尼橘勝國 (Kashū-jū Darani Tachibana Katsukuni). It is kept in a shirasaya with sayagaki and a gold-plated double habaki. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper attributes it to the third generation.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper attributing the blade to the third generation
- Ubu tang with takanoha yasurime, signed 加州住陀羅尼橘勝國 (Kashū-jū Darani Tachibana Katsukuni)
- Sanbonsugi-style togari-gunome hamon, typical of the school
- Bōhi on both sides and generous proportions, 3.32 cm motohaba
- Shirasaya with sayagaki and gold-plated double habaki
Points to bear in mind
- No mounting: the blade is offered in shirasaya only
- The original seller does not state the blade's condition or the date of the polish
- The blade bears no engraved date: the c. 1711 dating is the original seller's
Score
82.2 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
−15
No mounting −15
-
Blade
+10
69.3 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
- 69.3 cm
- Sori
- 1.5 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- No mounting
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Iyo Daijō Katsukuni
- Period
- Shintō (1596-1780)
- Dating
- Mid-Edo period (c. 1711)
- Province
- Kaga
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
- Motohaba
- 3,32 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,65 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,71 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,50 cm