MUROMACHI PERIOD (LATE 14TH CENTURY), THE KATANA SIGNED BISHU OSAFUNE TSUNEIE AND DATED OEI ... NEN ROKUGATSU HI (A DAY IN THE SIXTH MONTH OF THE YEAR OF THE OEI ERA [CIRCA 1394-98; THE EXACT YEAR OBSTRUCTED BY THE MEKUGI-ANA]), THE WAKIZASHI INSCRIBED BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMITSU, AND DATED OEI SANNEN HACHIGATSU HI (A DAY IN THE EIGHTH MONTH, 1396)

Details

A mounted Daisho
Muromachi period (late 14th century), the katana signed Bishu Osafune Tsuneie and dated Oei ... nen rokugatsu hi (a day in the sixth month of the year of the Oei era [circa 1394-98; the exact year obstructed by the mekugi-ana]), the wakizashi inscribed Bishu Osafune Morimitsu, and dated Oei sannen hachigatsu hi (a day in the eighth month, 1396)
KATANA:
Sugata [configuration]: shinogi-zukuri of shallow curve, mune-hikushi, chu-gissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: itame, with utsuri
Hamon [tempering pattern]: choji
Boshi [tip]: jizo with some midarekomi
Nakago [tang]: suriage, faint suji-chigai file marks, two mekugi-ana, kurijiri
Habaki [collar]: single gold-clad
Horimono [carving]: bohi kakitoshi wide hisaki-agari on both sides
Nagasa [length of blade]: 51.5cm
Koshirae [mounting]: fully matching daisho koshirae, the scabbards lacquered with large flakes of mother-of-pearl and sprinkled malachite green, the sukashi tsuba of nanako shakudo with gilt dragons around the edges and inscribed Yoshioka Inaba [no] Suke, the fuchigashira of shakudo-clad copper with floral motif and inscribed Seijo, the kozuka handle with gilt rooster, hen and chick in high relief on a shakudo nanako ground and inscribed Kanemori Mitsutada with kao, the blade inscribed Nagasone Kotetsu Nidaime Okimasa with kao, the kogai with gilt hen and two chicks on a windowed shakudo nanako ground and inscribed Kanemori Mitsutada with kao, menuki of a closed umbrella in gilt copper and shakudo

WAKIZASHI:
Sugata [configuration]: hirazukuri of shallow curve, mune-hikushi
Kitae [forging pattern]: itame with prominent mokume and utsuri
Hamon [tempering pattern]: gyaku-choji
Boshi [tip]: kaen
Nakago [tang]: suriage, two mekugi-ana, file marks indistinct, kurijiri
Habaki [collar]: single gold-clad
Horimono [carving]: bohi maru-dome wide, with tsure-hi on both sides
Nagasa [length of blade]: 39.5cm
Koshirae [mounting]: fully matching scabbard, the silver tsuba with waves in high relief, scattered raised gilt dots and inscribed Omori Teruhide with kao, the fuchigashira with gilt waves, the kozuka handle with a small boat in shakudo on a ground of gilt-copper nanako and inscribed ..., Sokujo Mitsutaka with kao, the blade inscribed Hizen kuni Tadayoshi, menuki of a lion-dog in copper

Provenance

Cary Travers Grayson (1878-1938), Rear Admiral, United States Navy, Surgeon, Medical Corps

Previously sold in these rooms, 15 September 2010, lot 555

Lot Essay

Cary Travers Grayson (1878-1938) was the personal physician and aide to President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. For his distinguished service, Admiral Grayson was awarded the Navy Cross and made a Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honor by the government of France. He also served as Chairman of the American Red Cross from 1935 to 1938. The USS Grayson was named in his honor.

More from Japanese and Korean Art

View All