FAINT TRACE OF A SIGNATURE, ATTRIBUTED TO MASAMITSU, NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD (14TH CENTURY)

Details

A BIZEN TACHI
FAINT TRACE OF A SIGNATURE, ATTRIBUTED TO MASAMITSU, NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD (14TH CENTURY)
Sugata [configuration]: Honzukuri, iorimune, deep koshizorii, ko-kissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: Close-packed ko-itame with ji-nie, sporadic pale utsuri, some faint tobiyaki and jifu
Hamon [tempering pattern]: Tight habuchi of nioi with ko-nie, gunome with tendency towards saka-gunome
Boshi [tip]: Maru
Nakago [tang]: Ubu, slightly curved, two mekugi-ana, file marks indistinct katte sagari, ha-agari kurijiri tip
Habaki [collar]: Single copper gilt
Nagasa [length of blade]: 64.4cm.
In Shirasaya with attribution Bizen Kuni Masamitsu dated in accordance with 1964 and signed Hon'ami Nishu

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Lot Essay

Said to have been the son or pupil of Kanemitsu, there are swords signed Bishu Osafune Masamitsu dated from the Enbun (1356-1361) to the Meitoku (1390-1394) eras, and from a probable second generation in the Oei (1394-1428) era. His jigane is gentle and the hamon is well defined and unobtrusive, as with this elegant sword.
That of the signature which can be seen, appears to be in accord with the usual signature of the smith Bishu Osafune Ju Masamitsu.

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