M26371(S8892)
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Tachi signed Bishu Osafune IESHIGE In the 10th month, the 7th year of Ouei with) Black Stone finish lacquered scabbard Han-tachi style Koshirae

Koto Early Muromachi period (Ouei 7/1400) Bizen
Length of cuttig edge70.5cm Curvature1.8cm Width of base28.0mm Thickness of base7.0mm Width of Yokote16.1mm

NBTHK(Tokubetsu Hozon) certificate

with) Black Stone finish lacquered scabbard Han-tachi style Koshirae

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Blade construction: Shinogi-zukuri Iori-mune tachi. Thick in kasane and rich volume in hiraniku. There is a deep curve gracefully and rich in Mihaba standing firmly then leading to a small tip. There is round-end bo-hi grooves on both sides. The entire blade is impressively healthy over the passage of 610 years.(click HERE for higher resolution image of the entire blade)
Forging(Hada): Forging is Itame hada mixing in Mokume-hada. Hiraji is covered in sparkling Ji-nie granules glitter over the surface that generates Chikei-darkish Nie-lines and speckled Utsuri reflection (Midare-utsuri) over the surface.
Temper(Hamon): Hamon is fine Nie hard metal granules based, wavy-Notare mixing in small-choji clove outline in which interior is highly active with abundant clove feet, YOU dots and crystalized Nio-mist activity. Fine Nie glitter falls on the temper edge thickly and sparkles brightly.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Boshi becomes calm below Yokote ridge, then straight up so called [Ouei-candlewick] in front and the reversed side is small circle turns back.
Tang(Nakago): Nakago is in UBU original. Three peg holes. Sujikai (shallow slanting left) filemarks. Back ridge of Nakago is round and Double-bevelled (kurikata) heel shape. The signature in tachi-style is six character that reads Bishu Osafune IESHIGE 備州長船家重, and the ura side is chiselled with the date of year In the 10th month, the 7th year of Ouei (1400) 應永七年十月日.
In the Muromachi period, the shape of Japanese swords had dramatically changed. That is early Muromachi years (1390-1430's), mostly tachi style swords were produced then next stage from the middle Muromachi years (1440's-), Uchi-katana style swords had became it's mainstream due to the wearing style being changed.
Naming of Ouei-bizen 應永備前 was given because many of Bizen-swords during the early Muromachi ages chiselled the date of year during Ouei era (1394-1427) 應永.They mostly aimed the reactionism of Ichimonji or ancient Osafune works during Kamamura period (1182-1333). The major character of Ouei-bizen tachi is to add the upper pointed curve to the ones of Kamakura period and Hamon temper of clove or gunome outline shows close resembles to the one of kamakura Osafune works. Morimitsu 盛光、Yasumitsu 康光、Moromitsu 師光、Tsunemitsu 経家 and Iesuke家助 are well known sword smiths among Ouei-bizen makers.
This tachi, adds the date of year Ouei 7, (1400) is the work of Osafune IESHIGE 長船家重 who belonged to Kozori school 小反り. The first smith IESHIGE 家重 was the second son of SHIGEYOSHI 重吉. He learned from YOSHIKAGE 義景. The second generation IESHIGE 家重 was learned from Omiya MORIKAGE 大宮盛景 who belonged to Souden-bizen school 相伝備前. From the sword directory Nihontou Meikan, the recorded earliest work of IESHIGE 家重 is Ouei 6 (1399) and the latest one is Ouei 31 (1424). The existing works of art IESHIGE　家重 is quite rare. This tachi is longer than standard and rich volume in hiraniku and massive in hands to hold an excellent condition for the passage of 610 years. This tachi is surely one of his best works and also adds a historical research material to study Ouei-bizen sword makers.
Incidental Black stone surface finish scabbard Han-tachi style Koshirae consists of: (hilt wrap cord and rayskin is restored)
White Rayskin brown cord lozenge wrap hilt.
Menuki : Notches of arrow, shakudo Yobori, Gold inlaid Iroe.
Fuchi/ Kashira, Koikuchi, Kurikata, Seme-kanamoto and Kojiri : Karakusa and gold-rim Inome heart shape, iron polish ground.
Tsuba : Scrolls motif Iron ground, Round-shape, Shakudo(copper alloy) inlay, Gold Nunome inlaid rim.(size 83.5mmx83.2mm)
(click HERE for entire koshirae and HERE for images in detail) (click HERE for Shirasaya Sayagaki written by Dr. Sato Kanzan)
Original copper habaki, preserved in a shira-saya (Sato Kanzan Sayagaki) plain wood mounting.
Recent polish/Condition scale: excellent (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)
reference data:
Osafune-cho-shi Hensan Iinkai, Osafune cho-shi, Otsuka Kogei sha 1998
Honma Kunzan, Ishiyama Masakuni, Nihontou Meikan