SIGNED BISHU OSAFUNE IEMORI, OEI 4TH (1397), MUROMACHI PERIOD (14TH CENTURY)

Details

A Bizen School Tachi
Signed Bishu Osafune Iemori, Oei 4th (1397), Muromachi Period (14th Century)
Sugata [configuration]: honzukuri, chu-kissaki, torii-zori iori-mune

Kitae [forging pattern]: ko-itame

Hamon [tempering pattern]: gunome of nioi, togari-ba, utsuri

Boshi [tip]: midare, ko-maru

Nakago [tang]: suriage, sujikai, four holes (two plugged)

Habaki [collar]: double, copper-gilt

In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]: a sayagaki with provenance of Geishu Asano Family in Showa 23rd (1948)

Koshirae [set of mounts] comprising: a black lacquer saya comprising iron mounts, fuchi-kashira with gilt dragon in clouds, gold menuki of dragon, a rounded tsuba with dragon and jewel in gold and silver nunome zogan, Namban School, the hilt with leather band, 101.5cm.

Nagasa [length from tip to beginning of tang]: 74.4cm.

Sori [curvature]: 2.1cm.

Motohaba [width at start of tempered edge]: 3.2cm.

Sakihaba [width before tip]: 2.2cm.

Provenance

The sword, by repute the Asano Family

Literature

The Museum of Japanese Sword Fittings, Kaikan Ni-shunen kinen, Natsuo/Ichijo ten, Taiko Hideyoshi to Meisho yukari no Meito ten, (Tokyo, 1996), cat.no.69, p.47 and 48

The Museum of Japanese Sword Fittings, Shinshun Tokubetsu ten, Bizen Osafune Meito Ten (Tokyo, 1999), cat.no.10, p.10

The Museum of Japanese Sword Fittings, Tokubetsu Ten, Tokugawa-ke yukari no Token/Tosogu (Tokyo, 2000), cat.no.8, p.8

Exhibited

Kaikan Ni-shunen kinen, Natsuo/Ichijo ten, Taiko Hideyoshi to Meisho yukari no Meito ten [The 2nd Anniversary Exhibition of the work of Natsuo & Ichijo and Masterpieces of Swords relating to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and other great commanders], The Museum of Japanese Sword Fittings, Tokyo, from October 1996

Shinshun Tokubetsu ten, Bizen Osafune Meito Ten [Special Exhibition in early Spring, Masterpieces of Swords from Bizen Osafune], The Museum of Japanese Sword Fittings, Tokyo, from January 1999

Tokubetsu Ten, Tokugawa-ke yukari no Token/Tosogu [Swords and their fittings in collections of the Tokugawa Families], The Museum of Japanese Sword Fittings, Tokyo, from April 2000

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium

Lot Essay

Iemori is said to have been the son either of Yoshikage (see Lot 16) or Kozori Morimitsu. His blades are regarded as owaza mono. A sayagaki states that the sword was once property of the Asano family of Geishu (Aki Province).

More from IMPORTANT SWORDS FROM THE MUSEUM OF JAPANESE SWORD FITTINGS

View All