LATE KAMAKURA PERIOD (13TH CENTURY), ATTRIBUTED TO NORISHIGE

Norishige was a native of Gofuku Go in Etchu province who had studied under Shintogo Kunimitsu together with Yukimitsu and Masamune in Soshu province. His blade characteristics are similar to those of Masamune and Yukimitsu, but his swords have a unique hada of large itame with prominent lines of chikei of flowing and swirling appearance known as matsukawa hada (pine bark), and sometimes known as hijiki hada (an edible seeweed of fibrous appearance). Like the work of Masamune, that of Norishige is reminiscent of some Ko-Bizen work, and blades by Yasutsuna of Hoki province having a dark and ancient aspect. This blade has a hada of itame with mokume and large patterns of chikei. The hamon is a shallow undulating notare with gunome, of deep nioi with copious nie, and with rich variations in plentiful large kinsuji and sunagashi. It is a fine blade with all the characteristics of the best Soshu work, and is immediately identifiable as the work of Norishige.
The tachi-goshirae is decorated with the family crests of the Nabeshima clan, the ruling family of the Saga domain, Kyushu.