JAPANESE KODACHI SWORD SIGNED BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMOTO Ca. 14th to 15th Century AD A Japanese kodachi short sword signed “Bishu Osafune Morimoto” on the nakago (tang), denoting that it was made by a swordsmith called Morimitsu of Osafune in Bizen. This smith is known from other blades, and he is thought to have been active in the closing years of the fourteenth century through to the early fifteenth century. This lot includes the swords shirasaya and koshirae mounts. Shirasaya is the wooden protective mounting affixed to the sword when it is not in use, whilst the koshirae is the ornate mounting used when the blade is being worn by its owner. The koshirae fittings on this sword are beautiful, with the menuki (handle ornament) on the tsuka (handle) depicting a fearsome Japanese dragon. The nagasa (blade length) is 58.7cm whilst the sori (curvature) is 2.61cm. This sword has been rated Tokubetsu Hozon (Especially Worthy of Preservation) by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword) and has been registered. For similar see: The Victoria and Albert Museum, Accession Number M.139:1-1929.; Bonhams Fine Japanese Art (13 May 2008), Lot 30. Size: 960mm x 80mm; Weight: 1.1kg Provenance: Property of a European collector; Ex. Horatio and Patsy Melas collection, Alexandria, Egypt, acquired before 1967. Thence by descent, moved to Switzerland and London. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. This piece comes with a NBTHK certificate rating it Tokubetsu Hozon (March 15, 2018). It has been registered and comes with its registration details.