Details
A BIZEN OSAFUNE TACHI
NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD (CIRCA 1335-1340), SIGNED BISHU OSAFUNE [NO] JU SHIGEZANE
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and ikubi-kissaki; length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 5 sun, 8 bu (78.4cm.); curvature (sori): koshi-zori of 3.2cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.1cm.; carving (horimono): maru-dome bo-hi on both sides with (later) horimono of Fudo Myo-o and a suken.
Forging pattern (jihada): compact mokume.
Tempering pattern (hamon): ko-choji with ko-gonome and utsuri.
Point (boshi): small and rounded (ko-maru).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): regular, tapering and with a soft, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): indistinct; end (nakagojiri): slightly squared, but starting to curve at the mune (kiri-yagenata-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): two; signature (tachimei): Bishu Osafune [no] ju Shigezane.
Shirasaya.
NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD (CIRCA 1335-1340), SIGNED BISHU OSAFUNE [NO] JU SHIGEZANE
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and ikubi-kissaki; length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 5 sun, 8 bu (78.4cm.); curvature (sori): koshi-zori of 3.2cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari): 1.1cm.; carving (horimono): maru-dome bo-hi on both sides with (later) horimono of Fudo Myo-o and a suken.
Forging pattern (jihada): compact mokume.
Tempering pattern (hamon): ko-choji with ko-gonome and utsuri.
Point (boshi): small and rounded (ko-maru).
Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai): regular, tapering and with a soft, brown patina; file marks (yasurime): indistinct; end (nakagojiri): slightly squared, but starting to curve at the mune (kiri-yagenata-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): two; signature (tachimei): Bishu Osafune [no] ju Shigezane.
Shirasaya.
Provenance
John Gottschalk, St. Petersburg, Florida