So Who Was This Morimasa?

[scrotty]

Hello all,

 

I'd appreciate any comment or insight about this sword. It is orikaeshi-mei, signed Bizen no kuni Osafune-ju Morimasa. I only see three possible smiths in the books, two associated with kozori, one omiya. But all signed Bishu, not Bizen. None of them seem to be especially well known or highly rated. The nagasa currently is about 26.5 inches, I believe it was originally 33 to 34 inches. The hamon is small chogi. The hada  shows much itame and almost masame in the shinogi ji. Profuse chikei and kinsugi. The midare-utsuri is prominent.

 

This sword must have been someone's personal treasure to have gone to the expense of preserving the mei. The orikaeshi is extremely well done.

It has three kirikomi in the mono-uchi area of the mune.

 

Best Regards,

 

Steve Crotty

 

[Ray Singer]

There appears to be a duplicate entry (is that Hawley?). I see a shodai and nidai listed, and would not expect that to be all the signature variations the smith used. Bizen vs. Bishu are often seen among different works of the same Bizen smith.

[mywei]

From Markus' resource there is only one Morimasa with the kanji 守正 from Bizen. Kozori group, Jōji era.

 

fyi the Hawley page you've shown is for a different Mori 盛

[scrotty]

Thank you for your comments, and of course you are correct with regard to the mori kanji...bad on me.

 

This sword does not appear to be typical kozori work however. I have discussed this sword at length with Jimmy Hayashi, the San Francisco-based polisher who commented he thought it superior to kozori-mono work. One of his references lists a Morimasa with this Mori kanji but does not associate him with the Kozori smiths.

 

So whoever this Morimasa was he made a really fine sword. The mix of itame hada, small chogi hamon, profuse kinsuji and chikei and the prominent midare utsuri is a bit of a conundrum however.... 

 

Again, any and all speculation and comment is most welcome.

 

Best Regards,

 

Steve

[Vermithrax16]

I was unable to find much out on this smith.

 

Here is the tang flipped over to aid in anyone looking to check signature:

[mywei]

I understand the reputation of Kozori but that doesn't mean all their swords were of the same quality. I guess you could think of as with Osafune Sukesada kazuuchimono vs those signed Yosozaemon Sukesada for example. I recall a mumei Kozori Juyo katana on Tetsugendo that looked to have tight itame, some utsuri etc.

 

Unless this is somehow an undiscovered Osafune smith, it is one related to Kozori, The other two Morimasa with this exact kanji was from Ise (sengo) and a shinto smith from Musashi apparently