Nagamori
Unsigned attributed to Osafune Nagamori
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token
Sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro sensei
27 3/16” Cutting edge Length
The Soden Bizen school of the 1300s, was one that produced many works of high quality. Makers such as Chogi and Kanemitsu had schools with students that also became masters in their own right. The Chogi school had students such as Kanenaga, Kaneshige, Nagamori and Nagashige.
Here, we have the honor to display a beautiful blade attributed to Nagamori. The hamon is so active, a description cannot suffice. The midare hamon is packed with activity and the skill of this smith appears easily. Utsuri appears in the well knit Ji. Utsuri appears above the hamon clearly. The boshi is a complicated one done in nie deki soshu style. One interesting point is the style of the shortening. Known as Tensho suriage, this type of shortening was done during the Tensho period (1500s) to many good blades that were too long for the style of the current times. This Nagamori is an example of this shortening. Done in an old style of polish known as sashikomi, all of the traits of the blades hamon are easily visible. All in all, an excellent blade that is an example of his best craftsmanship.
