Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Katana of the Osafune school of Bizen, signed and dated the 8th month of Tenshō 4 (1576), with an ubu tang, complete koshirae with matching fittings and NBTHK Hozon Tōken papers.
Katana of the Osafune school of Bizen province, signed on the omote 備州長船祐定 (Bishū Osafune Sukesada) and dated on the ura the 8th month of Tenshō 4 (1576), at the end of the Muromachi period. According to the original seller, the blade is shinogi-zukuri with iori-mune, of standard width and thickness, with koshizori and a medium kissaki; the jigane is itame mixed with ko-itame flowing into masame, with midare-utsuri, and the hamon is gunome-midare with abundant sunagashi and kinsuji, the bōshi midare-komi returning in komaru. Nagasa 74.3 cm, sori 2.2 cm. The seller describes the tang as ubu, with the mune side slightly filed, sujikai yasurime and a kurijiri tip; the photographs show a single mekugi-ana. The blade is mounted in a koshirae which, according to the seller, was made for it with matching fittings: a pierced tsuba with waves, signed 利光 (probable reading: Toshimitsu), fuchi-kashira with scrolls, seashell menuki, black ito and a dark ishime-lacquered saya. The seller also declares a shirasaya. The photographed origami is an NBTHK Hozon Tōken from 1990.
Strong points
- Full signature and date: 備州長船祐定 (Bishū Osafune Sukesada), 8th month of Tenshō 4 (1576)
- Ubu tang according to the seller, with a single mekugi-ana
- Complete koshirae with matching marine-themed fittings
- NBTHK Hozon Tōken papers photographed
Points to bear in mind
- The original seller advertised Tokubetsu Hozon papers, but the photographed origami for this blade is Hozon Tōken
- The mounting is undated; the ito appears rewrapped and very fresh
- The seller's description cites a date (Tenbun 3) that does not match the one inscribed on the tang
- The shirasaya is only declared in writing and does not appear in the photographs
Score
186.9 pointscurrent max. 255
-
Certificate
+50
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper +50
-
Tang
+25
Tang intact according to the seller at origin +25
-
Declared condition
+30
Healthy according to the original seller +30
-
Signature and date
+25
Signed and with an engraved date +25
-
Mounting
+10
Mounting described, undated +5 · signed fittings: 1 +10 · rewrapped ito −5
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Blade
+15
74.3 cm: long blade, 74 cm or more +15
-
Shirasaya
+5
With a storage shirasaya +5
-
Price
+26.9
Price: the more affordable, the more points +26.9
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
- 74.3 cm
- Sori
- 2.2 cm
- Tang
- Intact (ubu)
- Certificate
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
- Mounting
- Mounting made to fit the blade
- Storage shirasaya
- Yes
- Smith
- Osafune Sukesada
- Period
- Kotō (up to 1596)
- Dating
- 8th month of Tenshō 4 (1576)
- Province
- Bizen
- Mekugi-ana
- 1
- Condition
- Sound condition according to the seller at origin
- Signed
- Yes
- With an engraved date
- Yes
- Motohaba
- 2,99 cm
- Sakihaba
- 2,2 cm
- Motokasane
- 0,68 cm
- Sakikasane
- 0,47 cm
- Blade weight
- 778 g
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