Live Auction 6071Japanese Art & Design
A BIZEN YOROI-DOSHI
Lot 184

A BIZEN YOROI-DOSHI

SIGNED BISHU OSAFUNE NORIMITSU AND DATED OEI (THEREAFTER ILLEGIBLE), MUROMACHI PERIOD (LATE 14TH -EARLY 15TH CENTURY)

Closed16 May 2012

Price Realised

GBP 1,250

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A BIZEN YOROI-DOSHI
SIGNED BISHU OSAFUNE NORIMITSU AND DATED OEI (THEREAFTER ILLEGIBLE), MUROMACHI PERIOD (LATE 14TH -EARLY 15TH CENTURY)
Sugata [configuration]: thick triangular cross section, but a slender narrowing straight blade with wasted fukura
Kitae [forging pattern]: fine ko-itame, light shirake utsuri
Hamon [tempering pattern]: narrow suguha of nioi with sparse ko-nie
Boshi [tip]: ko-maru
Nakago [tang]: ubu, slight curve, single mekugi-ana, file marks indistinct, ha-agari kurijiri
Habaki [collar]: single gilt copper
Nagasa [length of blade]: 21.8cm.
Koshirae [mounting]: in shirasaya with Hon'ami sayagaki

Specialist note

There were a number of excellent smiths signing Norimitsu of Osafune village in Bizen province following the first generation (lot 179), a pupil of Nagamitsu whose swords are rare. The Oei era (1394-1428) date on this blade suggests the work of the third generation called Suke'emon, the son of Iesuke.

Thick and slender blades such as this are known as yoroi-doshi, or 'armour-piercers'.