Rai Kunihisa - Possibly Bungo

[Ron STL]

Studying a nicely made wakizashi today signed: RAI KUNIHISA. Based on the nakago and its shape ha-aguri and the hamon which "resembles" Bizen, but is not, I believe this could be one of the Rai Kunihisa from Bungo province, sue-koto? I can not locate an example the mei for any of these guys. Book Bungo Swords (indexed by Sesko) didn't show anything. Does anyone know where an example of mei can be found? If from Bungo, he is not a big smith so maybe nothing exists other than listing the three Bungo smiths. Worth asking. Thanks,  Ron STL

[Vermithrax16]

I could only find some Uda entries for Kunihisa and a lone Rai Kunihisa example in Sesko's Koto Meikan.

[Peter Bleed]

Ron,

You always come up with interesting challenges and expert observations.But...

Frankly I am just always  suspicious of swords signed "Rai Kunianyhting" and this nakago doesn't show me a lot of character.  If you can go beyond that, why are you looking at Bungo rather then one of the Yamashiro guys who actually did sign "Rai Kunihisa"? KUN 272ff How much masame is there?

Peter

[Ken-Hawaii]

Try https://nihontoclub.com/discussions/2017/08/20/Identifying-markings-on-Tang, but nothing definitive there. I couldn't find Kunihisa in the eKoto Meikan (where did you see it, Jeremiah?), but there's a short listing in Markus Sesko's eSwordsmiths A to Z:

 

KUNIHISA (国久), Shōkyō (正慶, 1332-1334), Yamashiro – “Ryō Kunihisa” (了国久), “Rai Kunihisa” (来国久), Ryōkai school, according to tradition the son of Ryōkai (了戒), first name Umanojō (右馬允)

 

There's a bit more info at https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/KUN273.

[Ron STL]

As Peter said, seeing any mei starting off with Rai needs to be closely looked at. My very first "antique" sword was signed "Rai Kunimitsu" and immediately made my novice mind thing missing NT...it was not, by any strech of the imajination.  This wakizashi we looked at yesterday is definitely not Yamashiro and has nothing (especially the sword's sugata) that would push it back that old. The quality of the forging is simply not of Yamashiro (Awataguchi, Ryokai) quality. Hawley lists over a page of Kunihisa, a few being from Yamashiro, but you will see three listings from Bungo, sue-koto era and only one of those, I think, noted a date-period. This made me look into the book on Bungo swords, but nothing was found on a Rai Kunihisa. I haven't had time to look in the Meikan. The sword is nice, with some thickness to it and a fairly deep sori. The nakago with it's shape and ha-agiri made me think Bungo was a good opinion on the blade. I'll attach a couple random pages from the book. The sword is not anything to get too excited about, but I just found it interesting (and an opportunity to dig into the books) to try and pin the smith down. Retirement entertainment? Talking to Howard Sloan today, he says the sword did have masame hada approaching the shinogi. The sword may also be showing utsuri, but  the condition of the polish always makes me question what "appears" to be there. 

 

For many years since getting involved with sword, I though we should be recording these more obscure mei just because they exist. I'm sort of a loner when it comes to that. 

 

Ron STL

[Vermithrax16]

Besides the Uda entries, the one lone Rai Kunihisa example was on page 264:

[Ron STL]

Finally checked the Meikan and it lists the early "big boys" -- Ryokai, Awataguchi -- several generations of Uda Rai Kunihisa, and one or two from Bungo province, late koto. As is often the case, mei examples of lesser smiths are often not available. At least this made us do a little searching which is always a good excercise. Thanks guys. Ron STL

[Vermithrax16]

Finally checked the Meikan and it lists the early "big boys" -- Ryokai, Awataguchi -- several generations of Uda Rai Kunihisa, and one or two from Bungo province, late koto. As is often the case, mei examples of lesser smiths are often not available. At least this made us do a little searching which is always a good excercise. Thanks guys. Ron STL

Indeed, I love looking for hard to find information, always fun.