SIGNED ORIKAESHI-MEI BISHU OSAFUNE (NO) JU YOSHIKAGE NANBOKUCHO PERIOD (14TH CENTURY)

Details

A BIZEN NAGINATA NAOSHI
SIGNED ORIKAESHI-MEI BISHU OSAFUNE (NO) JU YOSHIKAGE NANBOKUCHO PERIOD (14TH CENTURY)
Sugata [configuration]: naginata-zukuri, mitsu-mune, deep curve
Kitae [forging pattern]: itame with mokume, awai utsuri
Hamon [tempering pattern]: gunome midare, ashi, yo, of nie
Horimono [carvings]: naginata-bi
Boshi [tip]: midare-komi, yakitsume
Nakago [tang]: suriage, orikaeshi-mei, single mekugi-ana, katte-sagari file marks but suchigai on the ori-kaeshi portion
Habaki [collar]:double gold-clad
Nagasa [length of blade]: 50.7cm.
Koshirae [mounting]: in shirasaya

Literature

Yoshiaki Imura, Kumei Koto Taikan, (Tokyo, 1982)

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 20% on the buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as a Juyo Token [Important sword] no. 5002 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword] on 1st July 1975

The first generation Yoshikage is said to have been a pupil of Chikakage, and the second generation pupil of Kanemitsu. The style of their signatures has been linked also with the Omiya group of Bizen smiths. A similar naginata naoshi by Yoshikane is discussed by Homma in Kanto no Hibi Sho1. The elegant gentle curvature of the naginata lent itself ideally to the conversion to a sword in a later age when such early pieces were highly venerated.

1. Junji Homma, Kanto no Hibi Sho [Memorandums on Appraised Swords] (article), Token Bijutsu, (N.B.T.H.K), vol.3, p.303

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