A Moritsugu Katana (筑前国福岡住守次作)

This katana is the work of one of the finest smiths to carry on the Bizen tradition during the early Edo period – Chikuzen Moritsugu, the younger cousin of Koretsugu, founder of the Fukuoka Ishido school. Koretsugu had studied under Ishido Korekazu in Edo before returning to Chikuzen province to forge for the powerful Kuroda clan, and Moritsugu followed in those footsteps with complete mastery. He died in 1701 at the age of 69, having produced work that stands as some of the finest shinto-period swordsmanship in the Bizen tradition.

The blade has rightfully achieved NBTHK Juyo Token status, and it is not hard to see why. The hamon is a riotous, fire-like gunome choji midare with active sunagashi, brilliant kinsuji threading through the nioi, and a bright, sharp nioiguchi. The jihada is dense ko-itame with beautiful utsuri – a hallmark of the Fukuoka Ishido school – and the tempering reaches high into the shinogi-ji, giving the blade a charged, dramatic presence. Moritsugu and his cousin were known for choji elements whose tips resemble the heads of squid, and that characteristic is visible here.

A recently completed koshirae pays worthy tribute to birds of prey. The tsuba is an exceptional piece attributed to the Ishiguro school – one of the most admired tosogu makers of the Edo period – with a raptor design in fine gold and silver detail, holding NBTHK Hozon certification. The fuchi-kashira depict a pheasant in full flight and are attributed to the Nomura school, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certification. Menuki on the heron-and-flowing-water theme complete a koshirae that is both coherent and distinguished, with NBTHK Hozon certification.