Kozori Motomasa

基正

3 ranked works

Nothing by Motomasa on the market right now — follow to hear when one appears.

JūyōVol. 25, No. 178 · Tantō

Overview

Motomasa is recorded in sword reference compendia as a swordsmith of the school, active during the late period. The first generation is dated to the era (1362-1368), with a second generation placed around the Shitoku era (1384-1387). His predecessor is said to have been the younger brother of Ko-Motoshige, and from his name it is readily understood that he was a smith close to Motomitsu within the Kanemitsu line. Whether the earliest Motomasa was truly the younger brother of Ko-Motoshige requires further research; however, his lineage places him firmly among the smiths of the late through periods.

Motomasa's forging characteristically shows mixed with and , with an overall tendency toward . Fine covers the surface, dark steel appears in a -like manner, and faint emerges. His is typically based in mixed with a wide range of forms — , , open-waisted , angular and pointed elements — producing an overall small-pattern with , together with and . The small scale of chisel-work in his signatures further emphasizes the defining traits of the style. The open-waisted manner seen in his tempering is noted as suggesting a portent of the transition toward Oei-. One rare in narrow demonstrates his range beyond the characteristic idiom.

Signed examples by Motomasa are rare, and his works are valued as documentary material for understanding the scope of his craftsmanship. Across the extant body of work, both and are praised as — sound and well-preserved — with ample and especially bright in the hardened edge. His blades possess high documentary value not only for their quality of workmanship but also for the date inscriptions they preserve from the era, providing critical reference material for the study of late production.

Historical importance

Where Motomasa stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.

随一
Foremost
屈指
Leading
有数
Major
著名
Notable

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Designations

Kokuhō—
Jūyō Bunkazai—
Jūyō Bijutsuhin—
Gyobutsu—
Tokubetsu Jūyō—
Jūyō Tōken3

Elite Standing

Dated Works

Other artisans of the Kozori school

  1. 1.Hidemitsu秀光19designated
  2. 2.Iesuke家助1 for sale11designated
  3. 3.Iemori家守15designated
  4. 4.Nariie成家1 for sale21designated
  5. 5.Morisuke守助7designated
  6. 6.Moromitsu師光1 for sale7designated
  7. 7.Tsunehiro恒弘4designated
  8. 8.Yukimitsu幸光3designated
  9. 9.Ieshige家重1designated
  10. 10.Morihiro守弘1 for sale1designated
  11. 11.Iemitsu家光1designated
  12. 12.Morimitsu守光1designated

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