A Bizen School Katana

UNSIGNED, ATTRIBUTED TO KANEMITSU, NANBOKUCHO PERIOD (14TH CENTURY)

Details

A Bizen School Katana
Unsigned, attributed to Kanemitsu, Nanbokucho period (14th century)
Sugata [configuration]: honzukuri, iori-mune extended chu-kissaki, deep curve
Kitae [forging pattern]: running itame
Hamon [tempering pattern]: gunome with togariba, mixed choji of nioi utsuri
Boshi [tip]: midare
Horimono [carving]: kakudome bohi and soehi
Nakago [tang]: o-suriage, two holes, katte-sagari
Habaki [collar]: double, silvered copper with mitsutomoe crests
In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard] with inscription Bizen kuni Kanemitsu dai-kinsu 150-mai
Nagasa [length from tip to beginning of tang]: 70cm.
Sori [curvature]: 2.7cm.
Motohaba [width at start of tempered edge]: 3.1cm.
Sakihaba [width before tip]: 2.2cm.

Lot Essay

The blade characteristics of this fine old sword, particularly the midare-komi boshi, rather pointed gunome hamon, and midare utsuri, indicate Osafune work of the Nanbokucho period if not that of the direct school of Kanemitsu. The old sayagaki which attributes the blade to Kanemitsu, together with an evaluation of 150 gold pieces, is not unreasonable. The registration document states that the sword was from the old collection of Ninomiya Kojun.

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