Bizen no kuni jū Noritsugu?

[Gabriel L]

Hello,

 

A reddit user posted this beauty. The mei had already been translated as 備前国住則次 Bizen no kuni jū Noritsugu.

 

All Bizen Noritsugui smiths from Sesko:

 

Noritsugu (則次), Jōgen (承元, 1207-1211), Bizen – „Noritsugu“ (則次), Ko-Bizen-school, first name „Tōbei no Jō“ (藤兵衛尉), he was on the goban-kaji list of Gotoba which contained 24 smiths, there he worked with Yoshifusa (吉房) in the sixth month, ko-midare and/or ko- chōji in ko-nie-deki

 

Noritsugu (則次), Shōwa (正和, 1312-1317), Bizen – „Bizen no Kuni Nitta no Shō-jū Noritsugu“ (備前国新田庄住則次), „Bizen no Kuni- jū Sahyōe no Jō Noritsugu“ (備前国住左兵衛尉則次), he lived in the Nitta fief (新田庄) of Bizen, suguha mixed with ko-midare or ko- chōji, ryō-wazamono

 

Noritsugu (則次), Kan ́ō (観応, 1350-1352), Bizen – „Bizen no Kuni-jū Noritsugu“ (備前国住則次)

 

Noritsugu (則次), Hōtoku (宝徳, 1449-1452), Bizen – „Bizen Noritsugu“ (備前則次)

 

Noritsugu (則次), Daiei (大永, 1521-1528), Bizen – „Bishū Osafune Noritsugu“ (備州長船則次)

 

Based on the sugata I feel pretty optimistic that this is a suriage Nambokuchō blade, which makes the Kan'ō (1350–1352) smith the most likely. However, I can't seem to find any oshigata or photos of works by these smiths, so this remains a theory.

 

Anyone have any opinions or hard info to offer?

 

Thanks,

 

—G.

[Mark]

The Okissaki gives the suggestion of nambukcho but it is signed katana mei, did Bizen smiths sign katana mei that early?

[cabowen]

Interesting sword....

 

I can't help wondering if it isn't much later.....the nakago doesn't look nanbokucho to me...The kaeri is very long as well- usually not seen on early blades. The signature could have been added much later as well....Quality, from what is visible, is promising.

[raven2]

I am going to go with Chris on this one. The nakago looks very young to me also. Shinshinto maybe?

[george trotter]

I get the same feeling...mei kanji look a bit "fresh" and mei is a bit high on the nakago for the amount of shortening evident (IMO)...also, katanamei...I've been wondering about that being done in the 1310-1350 sort of era...any one care to express an opinion?

Other than the mei, the blade looks promising as has been said.

Regards,

[Marius]

Kiritsuke mei?

[Gabriel L]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm still holding out hope that someone somewhere has oshigata/photos for a blade by this/these smith(s), but you've made some very good points.

 

I wanted to add that the owner also shot these photos which more accurately portray the patina: http://imgur.com/a/gGPad#3

 

I noticed the katana mei (which to be fair was indeed done sometimes even during the Nambokuchō period) and the relatively younger appearance of the nakago. And Chris, the long kaeri is a good observation. I agree, taking another look, that the blade could be a later one. But Noritsugu seems like a relatively odd smith to gimei, no? Or maybe a perfect one (poorly-known Nambokuchō mei to make the o-kissaki seem old…).

 

As to kiritsuke mei… do you really think the nakago was shortened that much? Of course it is possible, but I had the impression it was "only" by 8–11 cm. Ato mei, on the other hand, could certainly be possible.

 

Keep the commentary coming, it's all helpful. I think that regardless of exactly who made it and when, it is promising from a quality standpoint. I hope the owner can get it polished and/or appraised but we all know the expense and risks there.

[ROKUJURO]

Gabriel,

 

the MEKUGI-ANA look like they were drilled, not punched.

[runagmc]

Jean, I thought the same thing, but I don't know if they maybe would dress a mekugi-ana with files or stones to clean it up? I would guess so.

I don't see any burring or anything from drilling, but then again that could have been cleaned up, too, so...?

[Jussi Ekholm]

I had similar thoughts as the experienced members stated earlier, I think this may be much later sword. But I like it's massive look.

 

Noritsugu seems to be indeed quite unknown smith lineage. These are the only sources that I can find that will have info on the Nitta Noritsugu (from JSL Index): Bizen Den Taikan, Meito Zuikan by Fujishiro, Jukken by Shibata Mitsuo. Unfortunately I don't have any of them, and I can't find any more info on Noritsugu from my books aside the info on Sesko's & Hawley's.

 

I checked couple books for Bizen swords pre-1400 signed katana mei, and I only found couple examples, so I believe it was very rare.

[Gabriel L]

Gabriel,

 

the MEKUGI-ANA look like they were drilled, not punched.

 

 

I really need to look more carefully at mekugi-ana, I guess. Now that you point it out it's rather obvious, and a pretty key point.

 

So… it's probably either ō-suriage with ato/kiritsuke-mei, or else it's suriage gimei.

 

I had similar thoughts as the experienced members stated earlier…

 

Thanks for checking, Jussi. Odd that such an unknown would be chosen for gi/ato-mei but odder things have happened.

[Grey Doffin]

It isn't unusual at all that an unknown smith would be chosen for gimei. If you choose to do a gimei of Bizen Nagamitsu your customers will be wary and they'll have many oshigata to compare with. Choose Nagatsugu and guards will be down and few oshigata for comparison will be available.

Once the sun is out, Gabriel, I'll send you the photos you asked for.

Grey

[Gabriel L]

Thank you Grey, both for the comments and for the image from the Bizen Den Taikan, which I am attaching below (with minor image editing for clarity).