Ko-Bizen Yoshinori

義憲

1 ranked works

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TokujūVol. 8, No. 16 · Tachi

Overview

Yoshinori is a swordsmith active during the late to early period, working within the broader tradition of Province smiths whose output predates the rise of the and related lineages. The term denotes, as a general designation, the swordsmiths of and their works from this formative era. Extant signed works by Yoshinori are scarcely found, making each surviving example of considerable documentary importance. A later smith bearing the same reading, Yoshinori of Kawada in , is documented in the period with a dated work inscribed Jowa 2 (1346); the Kawada locality lies at some distance from , and its workmanship differs considerably from the group.

The Yoshinori's characteristic form is a somewhat slender with deep and a slight forward inclination toward the tip, clearly manifesting the archetypal shape of the period. The forging is in which the grain rises subtly, a quality described as , and stands out prominently. The is based on into which small , , and minor irregularities are mixed; and appear within the temper, adheres well, and are present. A slight degree of -otoshi at the base of the temper lends an additional archaic flavor. The is , turning back in . Several examples preserve carved kaki-nagashi.

Yoshinori's are consistently noted for being — sound and well-preserved in both and — with good workmanship throughout. The combination of standing-grain forging, prominent , and a -based temper with restrained activity places his work squarely within the aesthetic, characterized by an antique dignity that distinguishes these earliest smiths. His bold, thick-chiseled signatures, rendered in large characters, constitute precious source material for research into the school and its documentary record.

Historical importance

Where Yoshinori 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 Jūyō1
Jūyō Tōken—

Elite Standing

Lineage

Other artisans of the Ko-Bizen school

  1. 1.Tomonari友成33designated
  2. 2.Masatsune正恒65designated
  3. 3.Kanehira包平31designated
  4. 4.Kageyasu景安25designated
  5. 5.Yoshikane吉包45designated
  6. 6.Nobufusa信房12designated
  7. 7.Yukihide行秀17designated
  8. 8.Naritaka成高9designated
  9. 9.Sukekane助包27designated
  10. 10.Motochika基近4designated
  11. 11.Junkei順慶7designated
  12. 12.Sanetoshi眞利6designated

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