Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
An 1851 katana by Yokoyama Sukekane of Bizen Osafune, with signature, date and dedication on the tang, mounted in koshirae and accompanied by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.
Katana by Yokoyama Sukekane, a smith of the Osafune tradition in Bizen province, from the shinshintō period. The tang, ubu according to the original seller, bears on the omote the signature 備前国長船住横山祐包造之 (Bizen no kuni Osafune-jū Yokoyama Sukekane kore o tsukuru) and 友成五十八代孫 (Tomonari gojūhachidai-son), and on the ura the date 嘉永四年二月吉日 (Kaei yonen nigatsu kichijitsu) and the dedication 荒尾成務常帯之 (probable reading: Arao Naritsune tsune ni kore o obu), which the original seller links to the Arao family of the Tottori domain. The photographs show two mekugi-ana. The shinogi-zukuri blade measures 81.8 cm with 2.3 cm of sori; according to the original seller, the hamon is suguha and the shape pays homage to a tachi by Ko-Bizen Tomonari designated a National Treasure. It comes in a koshirae with blue ito over same, dragon menuki with gold accents, matching fuchi-kashira and an iron tsuba with pierced radiating spokes, with a black lacquered saya; the seller describes it without dating it. It is accompanied by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper no. 122943, issued in 1992.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper (no. 122943), visible in the photographs
- Tang signed and dated in the 2nd month of Kaei 4 (1851), with a dedication to its intended owner
- Long blade of 81.8 cm with 2.3 cm of sori, inspired according to the original seller by a tachi of Ko-Bizen Tomonari
- Complete koshirae with dragon menuki and a pierced iron tsuba with radiating spokes
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller describes the mounting but does not date it.
- The listing says nothing about the condition of the blade; the photographs show some light specks on the surface.
- The photographs show two mekugi-ana on the tang, while the listing states one.
Score
113.3 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin, with 2 mekugi-ana +25
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Declared condition
−20
The original seller says nothing about the condition −20
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
+5
Mounting described, undated +5
-
Blade
+15
81.8 cm: long blade, 74 cm or more +15
-
Shirasaya
0
No shirasaya: one will have to be made 0
-
Price
+13.3
Price: the more affordable, the more points +13.3
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
- 81.8 cm
- Sori
- 2.3 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
- Storage shirasaya
- No
- Smith
- Yokoyama Sukekane
- Period
- Shinshintō (1781-1876)
- Dating
- 2nd month of Kaei 4 (1851)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 2
- Condition
- Condition not declared
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Length when mounted
- 113,5 cm
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