This is a Shintô-period katana by Etchû Kiyomitsu, active from 1661-1681 in Etchû province. It features a darkish jigane with mokume-hada and a bright chû-suguha hamon with kuichigaiba. The blade is ranked jô-saku and wazamono, indicating superior craftsmanship and sharpness, and comes with a late Edo uchigatana-koshirae.
NihontoWatchmei · Shintô – Early Edo Period (kanbun to enpô era: 1661-1681) · nagasa 70.5cm · sori 1.3cm
Kaga · around 1661-1673
2 pieces on the market now
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Under the Tokugawa peace the daishō became a regulated uniform, and demand gathered in the castle towns, above all Edo itself. The craft split two ways: brilliant display work for connoisseurs, and tested blades whose cutting results were sometimes inlaid in gold.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
NBTHK official siteAll swords come with a three-day inspection period beginning from the date of delivery. If not satisfied, the sword may be returned within this period for a full refund of the purchase price. Outside of this period, all sales are final. Swords purchased on a layaway payment plan are not eligible for the three-day inspection period.
