AS23124 Katana:Oku Yamato Kami Ason Motohira(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Ordering number: AS23124
Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature: Oku Yamato Kami Ason Motohira
奥大和守平朝臣元平
Kansei 7 Usagi Aki(Autumn 1795)
寛政七卯秋

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Jyo Jyo saku ranking.
The blade is polished.
Habaki: Silver single Habaki
Blade length:71.7cm or 28.2inches.
Sori:2.3cm or 0.9inches.
Mekugi:1
Width at the hamachi:3.0cm or 1.2inches.
Width at the Kissaki:2.1cm or 0.8inches.
Kasane:0.6cm or 0.3inches.
The weight of the sword:735grams

Shape: The blade is normally broad and normally thick with deep Sori and longer
Kissaki. Well-shaped Tachi.
Jigane: Koitamehada is very dense to be blackish Jigane,
Hamon: Niedeki Gunomemidare with deep Nioikuchi, sharp Gunomemidare with deep Nioikuchi. Boshi is long. Later Notare with deep Nioikuchi and turns back round. Sunagashi and Kinsuji work in Ha.

Era: Late Edo Period, 1795 (Kansei 7)

Features: Motohira was a swordsmith from Satsuma, who represented the early period of Satsuma’s Shinshinto. He was born in 1744 as the son of Okumotonao, a Satsuma swordsmith. He learned swordsmithing from his father. After his father died in 1777, he inherited the family reign.In December 1789, he received the title of Yamato no kami, and from 1789, he began to engrave his signature as “Oku Yamato kami Ason Motohira” (奥大和守平朝臣元平). He died in July 1826 at the age of 83. His students included Kado Motoki and Aoki Motonaga of Nagoya. His two younger brothers, Motobu and Motoyasu, were also excellent swordsmiths, and left behind some works made in collaboration with Motohira.

Koshirae:
Tsuba: Tatemaru-shaped Shakudo Tsuba. Chrysanthemum is engraved with gold color.
Fuchikashira: Shakudo plate, warrior and scenery are engraved with gold color.
Saya: Black Roiro Saya
Menuki: Solid gold plate(not 24 carat). Trumpet shells are engraved.

From Aoi Art: In order to prevent counterfeiting, the Nakago is made thin and the Shinogi-ji at the end of the Nakago is moved slightly closer to Shinogi from the center. Also, Motohira is characterized by its thicker hikigane, it can be polished beautifully even when severely rusted. The polishing applied to this work is excellent and brings out the beauty of the jigane.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token paper
Koshu Tokubetsu Kicho Kodogu paper(Tsuba)
Aoi Art estimation paper:whole Oshigata by Ayaka Tsuruta