* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Osafune Morishige
長船盛重
Description
Lineage
Osafune Morishige was one of the representative smiths of the "Omiya" line of the Osafune school in Bizen Province. He is transmitted as a relative or pupil of Morikage, regarded as the effective founder of the Omiya line; another theory makes him a son or pupil of Morimitsu, the leading Oei-Bizen smith.
Career
The first generation is said to date to around the Nanboku-cho period, but in practice the line begins in the early Muromachi period. According to the smith registers, the first generation was a son of Morisuke around the Gen'o era, and smiths of the same name worked throughout the Muromachi period. A katana signed "Bishu Osafune Morishige" dated the eighth month of Kansho 6 (1465) is known.
Style
The jigane is flowing itame mixed with mokume, with abundant chikei and vivid midare-utsuri; the beautiful mokume is called "Oei-moku". The hamon is an open-based gunome with vigorous nie, richly mixed with kinsuji and sunagashi, though suguha-based works with abundant kinsuji also exist. The signature is distinctive for its frequent use of reverse-cut chisel strokes (gyaku-tagane).