Mid-Muromachi Period katana - Bingo Mihara School link

[VRGC]

It fits my budget, time period of interest, a strong curve and has a NBTHK Hozon certificate (I have yet to see it but have have requested it from the shop). I am not after a famous smith or signed Mei but rather just a decent sword with a good enough polish. I find the link to Bingo Mihara School nice to dive into. This matches my needs but I wanted to check if I'm not missing any obvious signs with regards to price and quality / polish ect. I see a few things like some prominent spots around the middle and towards the end of the katana but Im not too bothered. It’s also from a Japanese retail shop that was recommended by a fellow Dutch NMB member.

 

Listing Details:

No.: 40
Type: Sword
Signature: Unsigned (Mihara) (Bingo) (Sanyo-do)
Era: Mid Muromachi Period
Length: 63.9 cm
Curvature: 1.6 cm
Thickness: 0.61 cm
Certificate: Hozon Token (NBTHK)
Quality: Standard Product
Included: White Scabbard and Mountings
Price: ¥380,000

Description:

• Construction: Honzukuri Iorimune (main construction with high ridge lines)
• Tang: Machi-okuri (shortened tang)
• Grain: Small Itame-hada mixed with straight grains, well-packed
• Surface: Fine Ji-nie (small particles of martensite) densely packed, with fine Chikei (dark lines) visible, and a faint Utsuri (shadow pattern) appearing
• Hamon (Temper Pattern): Midare (irregular) style with shallow undulations, mixed with small Gunome (zigzag), and pointed shapes
• Nioi-kuchi (Hamon's border): Slightly thick with well-formed small Nie (small martensite crystals)
• Additional Features: Hotsure (fraying), double temper lines, small Ashi (legs), Hada (grain) activity, Kin-suji (golden lines), and Sunagashi (sandy lines) visible. The Nioi-kuchi is bright and clear.
• School: Early Muromachi Period Bingo Mihara School
• Mountings: Includes black lacquered scabbard with fittings. (Hozon Token)

 

[Brian]

Just from a quick look....
It's not anything mindblowing or top level. Doesn't have a ton of hataraki or a big name behind it. But it seems to be in decent condition and polish, and nice to have koshirae and a shirasaya. If it has papers, and you aren't looking for a bigger name, then it seems to be a decent deal at the price, and if that's your budget then I can't find anything too concerning. In other words, you could do a lot worse imho.

[VRGC]

  On 7/5/2024 at 6:08 AM, Brian said:

Just from a quick look....
It's not anything mindblowing or top level. Doesn't have a ton of hataraki or a big name behind it. But it seems to be in decent condition and polish, and nice to have koshirae and a shirasaya. If it has papers, and you aren't looking for a bigger name, then it seems to be a decent deal at the price, and if that's your budget then I can't find anything too concerning. In other words, you could do a lot worse imho.

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Thank you for your answer Brian. Indeed it’s not mind blowing but it feel like a solid base that covers some “nice to have”. Good to hear that I came to a similar conclusion. 

[George KN]

I'm not sure about European markets, but if this was for sale in the UK at £1850 (380000 yen), for an in-polish katana with papers and Koshirae, I'd say that's a good deal.

 

Although I haven't done it yet myself, it would probably cost that much just to get an ok polish done and shirasaya made in the first place...

 

  Quote

but I wanted to check if I'm not missing any obvious signs with regards to price and quality / polish ect

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The one thing I'd say is I'm not a big fan of the tsuka wrap - it does almost look new? But still better to have than not!

 

My other question (and more for other members), is if this description of the hamon is correct? 

 

  Quote

Hamon (Temper Pattern): Midare (irregular) style with shallow undulations, mixed with small Gunome (zigzag), and pointed shapes

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Does this really count as Midare? And I can't see any pointed shapes either...

 

Is this not rather Suguha?

Edit: Colin is right, I've mistaken the edge of the polish for hamon - showing my inexperience with polished blades a bit! 
 

Edited July 7, 2024 by Ghoul
Removed my less than intelligent question

[Matsunoki]

From these images we cannot tell what the hamon is. All we see is the Hadori polish. 

[Franco]

  On 7/4/2024 at 7:28 PM, VRGC said:

Era: Mid Muromachi Period

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  On 7/4/2024 at 7:28 PM, VRGC said:

School: Early Muromachi Period Bingo Mihara School

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Based on the verbal description posted in the above comment what is being described is an early Muromachi Bingo Mihara sword. Which can be a very nice sword with much to appreciate. 

 

However, written above we have "A Mid Muromachi Period" vs an "Early Muromachi Period Bingo Mihara School."

Which are not the same.

Which is it?

 

Plus, no description of boshi and turnback?

 

Shape wise to my eye this is not early.   

 

Buy what you like, but know what you're buying. 

 

Return policy?

 

Regards

Edited July 8, 2024 by Franco D

[Mark S.]

Will be interesting to see the Hozon paper to see if it specifies a time period or narrows things a bit.  Ko-Mihara vs Sue-Mihara vs Kai-Mihara, etc.  

[Rivkin]

Not much is seen, but:

Its significantly shortened so the original curvature point was most likely in the middle.

The blade does not taper much, kissaki is chu kissaki and is somewhat long compared to width.

 

That's not an early sugata. 1520+, probably later.

At the time better Mihara blades typically opt for standing out jigane, with mokume etc. It is bright and can be seen from every angle. Hamon is usually rather indistinctive.

Nothing is seen here at all. Which suggests that its not the first tier blade for the period.

 

This being said, characteristic shadows, dark mune, super bright keicho mean that the seller uses a technique where you buy a long lighttube and place it underneath the blade. Its very fast - just put down the blade and you are ready to shoot. It overblows keicho, subdues hada and gives it unnatural navy-grey color. So there might be still something there... but still its probably not great anyway.

[Tohagi]

Hello,

Looks nice and healthy.

The Mihara caracteristics seems ok: long waterfall kaeri (maybe à litlle short here), darck round tetsu areas in the hada, mostly suguha shape hamon...

I agree with  the previous post: I would have guess middle to end muromachie, the light is tricky.

Considering the maki-Okuri, the sori is strong enough wich should exclude momoyama tensho.

I love fuchi kashira  (personal taste)...

 

Best regards,

 

Éric VD

Edited July 10, 2024 by Tohagi
My Mistake

[SteveM]

  On 7/7/2024 at 5:31 PM, Ghoul said:

Edit: Colin is right, I've mistaken the edge of the polish for hamon - showing my inexperience with polished blades a bit!

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Your initial question was valid. The "standard" for Mihara Bingo blades would be a predominantly straight hamon, which at first glance this definitely appears to have a predominantly straight hamon. Nagayama says for Ko-Mihara:  "Temper lines are a narrow chu-suguha".  For Sue-Mihara: Temper lines are relatively narrow chu-suguha". (He says Chu-Mihara are rarely seen).

 

So you'd be right to assume it ought to be straight, or predominantly straight, which, looking at the photos, your assumption would be validated. If there are gunome or pointed shapes hidden in the hamon, you'd want the shop to show those, because those would be "interesting" considering the attribution. So I'm not sure if its the photos, the polish, or the description that is bad here (or a combination of these). Anyway, the photos show a predominantly chu-suguha, and it doesn't quite match with the description, but it does match the attribution, so definitely confusing.