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Overview·Dated Works·Designations·Provenance·Blade Forms·Signatures·School
OverviewDated WorksDesignationsProvenanceBlade FormsSignaturesSchool
  1. Schools
  2. Osafune
  3. Ōei-Bizen
  4. Norimitsu

Oei-Bizen Norimitsu

則光

Jūyō
Vol. 22, No. 218 · Tantō

Oei-Bizen Norimitsu

則光

9 ranked works

ProvinceBizenEraBunmei (1469–1487)PeriodMuromachiSchoolOsafune>Oei-BizenTraditionBizen-denFujishiroJo-jo sakuTypeSwordsmithCodeNOR167
1Jūyō Bunkazai
8Jūyō Tōken

Overview

Norimitsu belongs to the lineage of Province and is traditionally identified as a student of Nagamitsu. The earliest extant works bearing the Norimitsu signature date to the Kagen era of the late period, and the name was transmitted through numerous generations down to the close of the period — a span encompassing perhaps more than ten successive smiths. The most celebrated works are those dated to the Kansho era, and the smith active in the Bunmei era occupies a position of particular scholarly interest, as the notes there "remains room for research as to whether it was made by the individual as Kansho Norimitsu or by the next generation." Critically, the Kansho-to-Bunmei-era Norimitsu stands between the Oei-era masters Morimitsu and Yasumitsu on one hand, and the later smiths Katsumitsu and Sukesada on the other, displaying an intermediate style that bridges these two periods.

Norimitsu's sword work characteristically employs with standing out in the , and his alternates between two principal modes: a showing a -like double-structured tendency with and entering freely, and a with a tightened and frequent . The bosshi typically enters , often with asymmetrical treatments between and . His forging in on spear works, with -laden and , follows the long-established convention for older spears and is acknowledged as distinct from his characteristic manner. His blades frequently display or , and with or terminations are regularly encountered.

The repeatedly characterizes Norimitsu's productions as displaying "good workmanship in both and " and as "orthodox and straightforward." His signed, examples are valued as material that "conspicuously reveals distinctive features in both the and the tempered edge," and his work constitutes, in the Board's assessment, "valuable source material for the study of smiths of this period." His , among the earliest bearing Bunmei-era dates, are commended as "orderly and well made" and recognized as representative spears of the period. Across all forms — , , , and — Norimitsu's oeuvre documents the evolving character of mid- craftsmanship with scholarly precision.

Dated Works

Years he was demonstrably active, proven by signed-and-dated blades

Active period
1462–1479Editorial estimate: 1462–1487
8 of 8 designated works carry a date
14601480
  1. 1462
    寛正三年Juyo session 24, item 270
  2. 1465
    寛正六年Juyo session 22, item 217
  3. 1469
    文明元年Juyo session 11, item 197
  4. 1474
    文明六年Juyo session 23, item 250
  5. 1477
    文明九年Juyo session 12, item 94
    文明九年Juyo session 22, item 218
    文明九年Juyo session 14, item 173
  6. 1479
    文明十一年Juyo session 5, item 41

Designations

Kokuhō—
Jūyō Bunkazai1
Jūyō Bijutsuhin—
Gyobutsu—
Tokubetsu Jūyō—
Jūyō Tōken8

Elite Standing

0.00 across 9 designated works

Top 100% among smiths

Provenance

4 documented provenances across certified works by Norimitsu

Provenance Standing

1 works held in elite collections across 4 documented provenances

Top 63% among smiths

Raw score: 1.93 / 10

Blade Forms

Distribution across 9 ranked works

Signatures

Signature types across 9 ranked works

Currently Available

Oei-Bizen School

Other artisans of the Oei-Bizen school

  1. 1.Yasumitsu康光1 for sale49designated
  2. 2.Morimitsu盛光6 for sale61designated
  3. 3.Yasumitsu康光1 for sale6designated
  4. 4.Sanemitsu實光4designated
  5. 5.Yasumitsu康光1 for sale2designated
  6. 6.Tsuneie經家2designated
  7. 7.Tsuneie經家6designated
  8. 8.Koremitsu是光1designated
  9. 9.Yasunaga康永1designated
  10. 10.Yasunaga安永1designated

Norimitsu

Norimitsu(則光) was a Japanese swordsmith of the Oei-Bizen school in Bizen province, active during the Bunmei (1469-1487) period.

The work follows the Bizen-den tradition.

Designated works by Norimitsu include 1 Jūyō Bunkazai (Important Cultural Property), 8 Jūyō.