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Photographs by the seller at origin.

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

The piece

Katana of the Mizuta school of Bitchū, signed by Yamashiro Daijō Kunishige, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers, a mother-of-pearl lacquered koshirae and a shirasaya.

Katana of the Mizuta school of Bitchū province, by Yamashiro Daijō Kunishige. According to the original seller, he was the younger brother of the third-generation Kunishige of Mizuta and a smith of good standing, active around the Shōhō era (1645). The tang is signed 山城大掾源国重 (Yamashiro Daijō Minamoto Kunishige) on one side and 備中国水田住 (Bitchū no Kuni Mizuta-jū) on the other, as recorded on the certificate; the photographs show two mekugi-ana. The original seller gives a sori of 1.3 cm, a motohaba of 3.05 cm and a motokasane of 0.75 cm. The blade holds NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers issued in 2019, which give a length of 二尺三寸五分 (ni-shaku san-sun go-bu). It comes with a shirasaya and a koshirae whose black lacquered saya is inlaid with mother-of-pearl (dragons and sun on one side, phoenixes and flowers on the other), with a round iron tsuba decorated in silver, fuchi-kashira and menuki of gilt dragons, and a pale wrapped tsuka. The koshirae is documented only by the photographs: the original seller neither describes nor dates it.

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken papers (2019)
  • Signed shintō blade of the Mizuta school of Bitchū
  • Complete koshirae with black lacquered saya inlaid with mother-of-pearl
  • The shirasaya is also included

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller does not state the condition or polish of the blade.
  • The koshirae is neither dated nor described; the lacquer, ito and sageo look recent in the photographs.
  • The tang has two mekugi-ana; the photographs do not confirm whether it is unaltered.

Score

57.1 pointscurrent max. 255

  1. Certificate +50

    NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50

  2. Tang +5

    Tang not declared, with two mekugi-ana +5

  3. Declared condition −20

    The original seller says nothing about the condition −20

  4. Signature and date +15

    Signed, with no engraved date +15

  5. Mounting −20

    Mounting the original seller says nothing about 0 · relacquered saya −10 · rewrapped ito −5 · new sageo −5

  6. Blade +10

    71.2 cm: within the usable range +10

  7. Shirasaya +5

    With a storage shirasaya +5

  8. Price +12.1

    Price: the more affordable, the more points +12.1

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).

Nagasa
71.2 cm
Sori
1.3 cm
Tang
Tang not declared
Certificate
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
Mounting
Mounting documented only in the photographs
Storage shirasaya
Yes
Period
Shintō (1596-1780)
Dating
Shōhō era (1644–1648)
Province
Bitchu
Mekugi-ana
2
Condition
Condition not declared
Signed
Yes
With an engraved date
No
Motohaba
3,05 cm
Sakihaba
2,42 cm
Motokasane
0,75 cm
Sakikasane
0,55 cm

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