The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour
The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour
The Property of an English Gentleman
A Bizen katana | Attributed to Osafune Motomitsu | Nanbokucho period, mid-14th century
Lot Closed
May 10, 01:52 PM GMT
Estimate
8,000 - 10,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
The Property of an English Gentleman
A Bizen katana
Attributed to Osafune Motomitsu
Nanbokucho period, mid-14th century
Sugata [configuration]: honzukuri, ioiri-mune, shallow torii-zori, chukissaki
Kitae [forging pattern]: tight ko-itame with areas of masame
Hamon [tempering pattern]: saki-choji
Boshi [tip]: slight kaeri
Horimono [carving]: futatsu hi extending into the nakago
Nakago [tang]: suriage, mumei, 4 mekugi-ana, 2 with silver plugs, one half-plugged
Habaki [collar]: double clad, gold ganseki style
In shirasaya [plain wood scabbard]:
Koshirae [mount]: the lacquer koshirae simulating woven sedge grass, the shibuichi kozuka with a dragon emerging from tempestuous waves, the iron kogai with rafts on a simulated woven ground, tsukashi tsuba, menuki in the form of chickens
The blade accompanied by a certificate of registration as Tokubetsu Hozon Token [Sword Especially Worthy of Preservation], no. 1006753 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 29 (2017).
The koshirae accompanied by a certificate of registration as Hozon Tosogu [Sword Mount Worthy of Preservation], no. 424726 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai [Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword], dated Heisei 3 (1991).
Further attestation letter by Hon'ami Tadanobu.
This blade is most likely to have been forged by the first generation Motomitsu who worked in Osafune, Bizen Province around 1356-1361 and according to tradition was either the son or student of Kanemitsu, or the second who flourished 1394-1428.