Details
A BIZEN OSAFUNE TACHI
NAMBOKUCHO PERIOD, DATED KANO 1 (1350), SIGNED BIZEN---, ATTRIBUTED TO KAGEMITSU II
Configuration (sugata): with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa): 2 shaku, 3 sun, 6 bu (71.7 cm.); curvature (sori): koshi-zori (measured from the original mune-machi) of 2.6 cm.; decrease (present) in width of blade (fumbari): 0.8 cm. [Small carbon spot (sumi gomori) on the ura 45 cm. below the yokote and on the omote 3.4 cm. below the yokote; three tiny nicks in the ha-saki 13, 22 and 24.4 cm. below the yokote.]
Forging pattern (jihada): tightly compacted and well-configured wood grain (itame), in areas resembling crepe silk (chirimen). Tempering pattern (hamon): medium suguba in nioi and remarkably small nie, but with areas of almost microscopic 'rootlets' (ko-ashi) and fine irregular patterns (komidare), predominantly near the lower half of the monouchi.
Point (boshi): medium round (chu-maru).
Tang (nakago) shape (keitai): shortened (suriage) approximately 9 cm.; the mune has been filed down as well as sections (6 and 7 cm.) on both side of the nakago above the mei and date; file marks (yasurime): (original) slanted (katte-sagari); end (nakagojiri): squared (kiri-jiri); holes (mekugi-ana): four (two original); signature (mei), tachi-mei: Bizen---; date (jidai): Kano 1 (1350). [Some rubbing along the shinogi; on the ura monouchi are a few sumi gomori and old rust spots and another sumi gomori 24 cm. from the ura machi 4 mm. below the shinogi.]
Shirasaya with the name of the previous owner, Kobayashi Shiro, Tokyo.
