Mumei Attributed to Den Osafune Nagamori Katana
無銘　伝 長船長守　刀
Item TK063

  • Period: Koto - Nanbokucho Period

  • Mei (Signature): Mumei

  • Designation: Tokubetsu Hozon

  • Nakago - 4 Mekugi-Ana

  • Nagasa - 69.2cm

  • Sori: ‍ ‍- 1.4cm

  • Motohaba - 2.8cm

  • Sakihaba: 2.1cm

  • Kissaki - 5cm

  • Motokasane - 0.6cm

  • Nakago length - 22.2cm

¥ 3,500,000

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Nanbokuchō Period Sōden-Bizen Katana - Osafune Nagamori

Osafune Nagamori (長船長守) was a swordsmith of the Nanbokuchō period associated with the Chōgi school of Bizen Osafune, one of the most important expressions of what is commonly termed Sōden-Bizen workmanship. This tradition emerged during the fourteenth century as Bizen smiths incorporated strong elements of the Sōshū tradition into their native Bizen techniques, producing swords that combined the refined forging of Osafune with the powerful nie-based activity characteristic of Sōshū-den.

Nagamori is traditionally recorded as a student or son of Chōgi (長義), one of the great masters of Nanbokuchō-period Bizen. Surviving dated works, however, demonstrate that Nagamori worked during essentially the same period as Chōgi. His known dated works extend from at least Shōhei 5 (1350) through the latter half of the fourteenth century, placing his career firmly within the great age of Nanbokuchō sword production.

His workmanship naturally shows a close relationship to that of Chōgi. Nagamori commonly forged a well-worked itame hada mixed with mokume, sometimes showing areas tending toward masame. Fine and abundant ji-nie can cover the surface of the steel, accompanied by chikei, while midare-utsuri may also appear

This blade displays the powerful proportions so closely associated with the Nanbokuchō period. The mihaba remains broad throughout, with relatively little narrowing from the motohaba to the sakihaba, before culminating in an extended and sharply formed ō-kissaki. Combined with its iori-mune, the overall sugata is imposing and immediately evocative of the grand-scale swords produced during the fourteenth century.

The jigane is particularly expressive. A clearly visible itame hada mixed with mokume flows across the surface of the blade, the individual structures of the steel remaining readily apparent rather than subdued. Toward the boundary of the hardened edge, the activity of the jihada and hamon appears to interact almost seamlessly, giving the blade a remarkably cohesive appearance in which the ji and ha feel like parts of a single, continuous composition.

The hamon is chōji-midare, richly supplied with internal activity. Numerous ashi descend through the hardened edge, while prominent sunagashi courses through the hamon and appears to continue for virtually its entire length. Rather than presenting simply as a decorative outline, the hamon possesses considerable depth and movement, with the repeated ashi and flowing sunagashi creating a complex and highly active interior.

Particularly striking is the blade's abundant utsuri. It appears extensively throughout the ji above the hamon, forming a broad, mist-like secondary pattern running along the blade. In places, this ghostly reflection gives the impression of a fainter second hamon suspended above the actual hardened edge. The effect is especially beautiful when the blade is moved through changing light: the primary hamon remains clearly defined below, while the utsuri emerges and recedes across the ji above it.

Accompanying the katana is a handsome Edo-period koshirae, distinguished by a cohesive ensemble of matching dragon-themed fittings that carries a consistent decorative motif throughout the mounting. The sword is housed in a particularly striking ribbed vermilion-lacquered saya, whose vivid finish and pronounced texture give the koshirae a commanding visual presence. Together, the coordinated dragon fittings and distinctive lacquerwork form an impressive and highly decorative example of Edo-period sword mounting.