Kiyomitsu Katana
KK0559
An early work signed niji mei, Kiyomitu. Right out of the woodwork, and never seeing the light of shinsa; A suriage, machi okure katana signed Kiyomitsu in an early style.. Shinogizukure, iroi mune, chu kissaki. Hawatare: 2 vShaku 2 Sun 6 bo 9 rin .(69.3 cm / 27.28") Motohaba: 3 cm. Sakihaba: 2.1 cm. Kasane: 6 mm. The jigan e is mixed ko mokume. Suguba with fine ko-nie, nijuba, nado. The boshi defers on each side. Mounted in good shirasaya with a one piece gold plate habaki. Ref. Nihon Toko Jiten Koto Hen. rated jojosaku. Valued at 3,000,000 yen in Toko Taikan. Pictured in Yumei Koto Taikan. Nado
Although there is much to see and appreciate, this sword deserves a good polish. I have only been able to find two examples of his earliest signature from Eisho jidai (1504 - 1521), which seems to match this nijimei. I am not a shinsa, nor infallible, but in my opinion it is correct. However, it is priced so that if it passes shinsa, there is a significant upside.
$6,500
Nijuba
Shallow Scrathches
Eisho Tenbun Eitoku
It is unfortunate that the Eisho pictures are so bad. They are even difficult to see in the book with a glass.
My only problem with the mei is that lower right element in Kiyo the gatsu kanji top horizontal to right vertical is not a clear two strokes. However, since very early work, and the rest seems correct, I don't think that it is likely a problem.
Nagamei in the same style as this nijimei
Yumei Koto Taikan Roughly translated is that this is the same smith as Gorosaemonjo
Nihon Toko Jiten - Koto Hen
Toko Taikan