Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana signed 広次 (Hirotsugu), of the Sagami tradition, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers placing it in the late Muromachi period; offered with koshirae and shirasaya.
Katana signed 広次 (Hirotsugu), a name used by several generations of smiths in Sagami province, within the Sōshū tradition, from the Nanbokuchō to the Muromachi period. The NBTHK paper classifies it as 特別保存刀剣 (Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken) and attributes it to Sagami in the late Muromachi period, that is, to a later generation of the name. The blade has a nagasa of 67.9 cm and a sori of 1.6 cm. The photographs show a shinogi-zukuri blade with a gently undulating hamon and a tang with an old patina, two mekugi-ana and the signature beside them on the omote. It comes with a koshirae: according to the original seller, fuchi-kashira with an 葵唐草 (aoi karakusa) motif, menuki with two warriors (武者図, musha-zu), a pierced iron tsuba depicting a plum tree and a saya in black lacquer with gold flecks. The photographs show the complete mounting, with ito and same showing use. A shirasaya accompanies the blade. The original seller notes a few kitae-kizu on the blade and age damage to the saya.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper for the blade
- Blade signed 広次 (Hirotsugu), of the Sōshū tradition of Sagami
- Complete koshirae with pierced iron tsuba and gold-decorated fuchi-kashira
- Also kept in shirasaya
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller declares a few kitae-kizu on the blade
- The saya shows age damage, according to the original seller; the photographs show lacquer losses at the mouth
- The mounting is described but not dated
- The photographs do not establish whether the tang is ubu or shortened
Score
102 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+5
Tang not declared, with two mekugi-ana +5
-
Declared condition
−5
The original seller declares flaws 0 · small kitae-ware, away from the edge −5
-
Signature and date
+15
Signed, with no engraved date +15
-
Mounting
+5
Mounting described, undated +5
-
Blade
+5
67.9 cm: close to the usable range +5
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+22
Price: the more affordable, the more points +22
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
- 67.9 cm
- Sori
- 1.6 cm
- Tang
- Tang not declared
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Soshu ju Hirotsugu
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- Late Muromachi period
- Province
- Sagami
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Minor flaws declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- No
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