Omiya Morishige

盛重

Jūyō
Vol. 24, No. 253 · Tachi

1 ranked works

Notable smith
ProvinceBizenEraNanbokuchoPeriodMuromachiSchoolOmiyaTraditionBizen-denToko Taikan580(top 21%)TypeSwordsmithCodeMOR817
1Jūyō Tōken
1On the Market

Overview

Morishige of the group of is represented on the official record by a single , designated at the 24th session in 1976. The blade is , and only five characters of its signature survive, cut off below the first character of the name. The published sources make the attribution from the hand of those characters: 「磨上げて「盛」以下が切れているが、銘振りからして大宮派の盛重と鑑せられる」 (although shortened, with the signature cut off below the first character of the name, the style of the inscription identifies it as Morishige of the school).

The same entry sets out the group's origins. 「大宮派の祖は国盛といい、もと山城猪熊大宮の住人で、のち鎌倉時代の文応頃に備前に移住したと伝える」 (the founder of the school was Kunimori, originally of Inokuma in Yamashiro, who is said to have moved to around Bun'o in the period). They continue 「此の派は南北朝に入って最も栄えており、盛景・盛重らがよく知られている」 (the school flourished most in the period, and Morikage and Morishige are well known among its smiths). The is accordingly placed in the period.

It is a with , a deep and a . The is , flowing toward the edge, with a faint . The is a -hiraki mixed with , breaking into a large pattern with and . The is , pointed at the tip as it turns back, and are cut on both faces, kaki-nagashi on the and on the .

The published sources judge 「この太刀は同派の作風をよく示した一口である」 (this shows the style of the school well). With one designated work, Morishige's manner on the official record is that of this blade: an temper of large and over a flowing with .

Historical importance

Where Morishige 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 Tōken1

Elite Standing

Currently Available

Other artisans of the Omiya school

  1. 1.Morikage盛景2 for sale93designated
  2. 2.Morikage盛景6designated
  3. 3.Morikage盛景1designated
  4. 4.Morishige盛重1designated
  5. 5.Morishige盛重1 for sale3designated
  6. 6.Morishige盛重1designated
  7. 7.Morisuke盛助2designated
  8. 8.Nobuhide延秀1designated
  9. 9.Nobuzane信眞1designated
  10. 10.Nobuyoshi信良1designated
  11. 11.Sukemori助盛1designated
  12. 12.Morishige盛重1 for sale1designated

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