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Showing content with the highest reputation on 11/02/2020 in all areas

  1. Today I went to a sales exhibition at the Nihombashi Takashimaya department store of works by Gassan Sadatoshi, and his son Sadanobu, by invitation of Inami Kenichi. I’m not a collector of contemporary swords, but wanted to have a look at their take at Sō-den, my main field of interest. Although the Gassan smiths are famous for their swords with ayasugi-hada, they also excel at the Sōshū style, and some very fine examples were on display / for sale. As a collector of antique swords, I sometimes feel a twinge of jealousy when looking at those absolutely flawless, healthy blades, exactly like the smith intended them. OTOH, they are also kind of “sterile” (for lack of a better expression, and not meant derogatory at all); in any case, art is art, no matter if it was made in the Heian period, or last week. It’s always a pleasure to meet Gassan-sensei, who is very friendly and humble (and constantly in need of a good haircut 😝). The only downside was the lighting, which was a little bright, so I had to twist my neck constantly to get a look at the details in the blades; that’s also the reason why I didn’t take more photos.
    10 points
  2. Some more photos. The last one shows (from left to right) Gassan Sadatoshi (sitting), Gassan Sadanobu, Inami Ken’ichi (and an unknown visitor). I just couldn’t bring myself to ask them to post for a selfie with me … 🥺
    9 points
  3. Another example for your viewing pleasure...
    3 points
  4. Dear All. Just to keep the thread going. All the best.
    3 points
  5. Hi Leon , I like that your sword comes with the old paperwork . B W Robinson wrote some reminiscences for the JSSUS Newsletter years ago . He told a story about Capt. Reid-Collins going to an American ordinance depot during the occupation . There was a pile of about 1000 swords there , asking if he could have one he was told take fifty if you like . He drove to Tokyo and bought Inami Hakusui ( the author of The Japanese Sword ) back with him . Inami selected the fifty best ones . Reid -Collins bought them back to England and later sold them to Craig and Festing for ten pounds each . Robinson recalls that they included a superb slim Nagamitsu labelled meito by Inami , a splendid Rai Kunitoshi , an early Gassan , a fine Kotetsu, and many others .I wonder if your sword is one of the Reid -Collins pieces? Ian Brooks
    3 points
  6. Although I stated welding as a possible reason for the grinding of the nakago, Bruce and Stephen have mentioned the fitting of the tsuka. Normally when a tang is welded to another sword, it is an attempt to fool someone into believing a well known smith has made that particular blade. I don't see this as the case here and would have to lean more towards a hasty attempt to piece together some fittings to make a complete assembly. Maybe the grinding was to get the tsuka to fit. As mentioned, the aluminum tsuka is not a normal thing to find on this type of blade so they found a way to make it fit. I agree with others that this blade is NOT worth getting a professional polish costing 1000's of dollars. If ya love it, keep it and enjoy it for what it is.
    2 points
  7. Well, if someone hung a green and red Tanto in my Christmas tree, I think it would renew by belief in Santa Claus! 😋
    2 points
  8. Why i asked how tight the fittings were. Only other one i seen they were loosey-goosey. You say you drilled or had drilling done....any before pix?
    2 points
  9. Would include a small bottle of high grade ethyl alcohol.
    2 points
  10. Most of them were gilded, it looks like yours could have been brazed/soldered at the top.
    2 points
  11. The average price was 3 million Yen for a katana.
    2 points
  12. I use microfiber for more 15 years and have no problem. Uchiko is a little abrasive and reduces the hadori over time.
    2 points
  13. A good Tanzutsu pistol and certainly valuable Robert. Nice swamped barrel. The main Mei is chiselled underneath the barrel. It looks like an Enamiya 榎並屋 house gun from Settsu (from the Mei), but possibly unlisted as I cannot find a record of this individual smith’s name. Perhaps some very gentle treatment might clean up the Mei a little, but don’t do anything until you are confident. (Sadly not yet definitive, John!) As to the silver Zogan inlay writing, pretty, but best to ignore as these were often added later to increase the decorative effect. John is correct on the reading (*Bushū) Bushū Kawagoé Higo Motoyasu 天山作 +花押 This may simply be the Zogan artist’s name, or a jumble of unrelated places and names.
    2 points
  14. In the cartouche, Tenzan then kao. I’m struggling for a clear view of the next bit but it looks like Bushi Kawagoe, Higo Motoyasu. No doubt Piers will be on in a while and give the definitive view.
    2 points
  15. The revised Chapter 60, part 2 of chapter 24 Sengoku Period Tanto was posted. This chapter explains the tanto made during the Sengoku period. Famous Muramasa tanto is showed and explained. Please click the link below to go to this chapter directly. https://studyingjapaneseswords.com/2019/07/22/61part-2-of-25sengoku-period-tanto-1467-1596/ Thank you Yurie
    2 points
  16. I have to admit to being puzzled by one matter and hope to be enlightened. In later Rai imitations one often sees much effort being expanded to create strong, vivid, high quality bo utsuri. You see this well done in Kanesada, not really in Hizen I think, but also present with a lot of other people who worked in Rai style after the demise of Rai lineage per se. In Kunitoshi-Kunimitsu lineage, and maybe the blades I've seen were "wrong" for this feature: if utsuri is wide it had somewhat uneven upper edge and was not as pitch black/high contrast as when executed by Kanesada. Is this true, and then basically later works differ in that they put such an accent/effort on creating very strong and very straight utsuri? Never mind multi-layered black and white utsuri as per the example below - its extremely beautiful but probably unique.
    1 point
  17. Once upon a time I sent this little article ... Please feel free for your opinions, do you people like it, I'm hungry for responses... Best
    1 point
  18. Rai utsuri is mostly nie-utsuri, not only bo. I never seen a copy by Kanesada etrc with nie utsuri, only with shirake or simple bo.
    1 point
  19. If the blade was made by a type 95 process, there would not be much to bring out with a polish. The zoheito (factory blades) were hardened but had no hamon (fancy temper line). if it were mine, I would hang onto it and not discard it. We have come across strange things over the past few years that we thought were postwar Bubba jobs, and learned later that they were legitimate or time work. I have learned that the hard way with one of my Swords!
    1 point
  20. My guess is that it has been sharpened with some kind of grinding wheel by someone who didn't know what they were doing. Due to the speed of the wheel and/ or the angle of the blade the wheel has grabbed at the blade and left those marks. The hatchings going the other way are an attempt to remove the grinder marks with something less abrasive. Or to put it less kindly, someone d!cked with it and wrecked it.
    1 point
  21. To me, it appears that the nakago has been welded on. The odd grinding above the mukugi-ana and the shape of the nakago getting narrow in the area of grinding looks suspect to me.
    1 point
  22. Just wanted to clarify my earlier suggestion...bright Christmas red would not look good, but a darker maroon or burgundy color of red I think would look great! Cream color would also be a good choice! Dave M.
    1 point
  23. 1 point
  24. Interesting, add that to the list of things I did not know! (its a very long list.. the more I learn, the less I know.)
    1 point
  25. I am taking in as much as I can as well. Still learning always
    1 point
  26. Rough masame hada is definitely a big indicator for kazu-uchi mono due to the poor quality steel. I own a few. Here is pic of one next to a zoomed in pic of the sword featured in this discussion. Sue Bizen= kazu-uchi mono
    1 point
  27. For anything in polish a microfiber cloth, good neutral oil and soft tissues is all you need.
    1 point
  28. Like what John says,Gendai smiths made sword in Arsenal, normally has smith name on it. 大阪陸軍造兵廠 川野貞重作之 Osaka Army Arsenal Kawano Sadashige 東京第一陸軍造兵廠 宣威 Tokyo first Army Arsenal Nobutaka
    1 point
  29. Never seen one like it! Glad you brought to the forum. It’s going into the files now!
    1 point
  30. Yes, but they'd put them in more traditional gunto mounts.. not metal handles like this one. This is a real oddity. Perhaps a post-war put together or a custom order piece.
    1 point
  31. Hi Everyone, Recently I've acquired a Miyairi Kozaemon Yukihira Katana as part of my growing interest in Gendaito and Shinsakuto. As it is unlikely that I will have opportunities to handle and admire the beauty of more Miyairi School swords in the short term, I was thinking if a thread like this could spark a friendly sharing session between collectors of Miyairi line swords. To get the ball rolling, my sword details are as follows. Nagasa: 74.8 cm Sori: 2.5 cm Hamachi Width: 3.4 cm Kissaki Width: 2.9 cm Moto-Kasane: 75 mm Saki-Kasane: 60 mm Made in Mid Autumn, 2004 Ko-Itame hada with consistent beautiful jinie throughout. Hamon: Notare Gunomemidare w/ Kinsuji and Sunagashi I will upload more photos/videos taken by me, but for now I will use the scan by Samurai Shokai (photo credits to them) I've made a few observations. 1.) Shinsakuto are not always perfect as what some people believe. Minor kizu like kitae-ware and mune-ware exist through the blade. 2.) Interestingly, the ububa is not as thick as some of my gendaito. Curious to see if anyone has an opinion on this, as its something that intrigued me. 3.) I'm not sure if this is an utsushi of Shizu or Kiyomaru, but it resembles more towards kiyomaru imo. Thanks for going through my post! Curious to see what other blades are out there! If you have information regarding my sword, do share with me as I'm very curious on the provenance of my sword. ~Ben
    1 point
  32. Bob, thanks for the advice. I will search out Sesko. Stephen and Tom, thank you both for the kind words. I will keep on that shared diligent nihonto path learning along the way with inevitable waylays and stops and the adult table to ask for wisdom. Aim to return the favor in the future to those starting along. Gonna quote another author Robert Frost that ill use to starting in Nihonto, "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep."
    1 point
  33. I agree with Stephen. I have never seen an NCO with a hand made blade, let alone an ancestral blade.
    1 point
  34. The obvious question is is why is it in NCO mounts. Maybe the second one ive seen in 30 years of Nihonto. A real puzzle. Were the fittings on tight or loose?
    1 point
  35. Appears to be signed Kaneshige on one side and Masatsune in the other.
    1 point
  36. Red and green always reminds me of a Christmas ornament. I think with the red saya and color of the fittings, yellow would look good. Kind of a deep yellow that would play off the fittings.
    1 point
  37. Roger, you are going to be very disappointed. Kozuka/kogatana appeared at the very end of Nambokucho and became more common in Muromachi with the rise of daisho. You won’t find them easily. There is a Japanese book on kogatana which should fill you with happiness😀
    1 point
  38. I would hesitate calling them Daisho, more than likely same hand, but, together only serendipitously. John
    1 point
  39. Believe this is Gendai, along with the machine made Zohei-To arsenals brought in various Gendai smiths to the arsenals for instruction and forging of swords. Usually the smith signs their name though. http://ohmura-study.net/206.html
    1 point
  40. Nr 7 for me. Yellow and red makes a nice combination.
    1 point
  41. Richard thats a very fine Tsuba. The nanako is just perfect. And with that dragons - a must have. Shakuda for me.
    1 point
  42. 1 point
  43. Considering the red saya, the white same and the "red" suaka tosogu, I would not go on blue or green ito. Too many différents colors. I would even stay on dark colors: black or dark Brown or light color like the suggested creams. IMHO, the pure white is too flashy. Then you also need to considere the style: regular 8mm ito, 6mm thin one, jabara, etc... Not an easy choice !
    1 point
  44. I suggest Kozenji as a likely alternative. It is a late Edo high grade kinko work from a small group in the Nagoya (Owari) area. -flowers, and complicated gold keyfret inlaid work executed on very good shakudo => Kozenji. Kozenji tsuba. (Owari kinko) - likely kozenji, though I wouldn't bet my life on it. Kozenji fuchi. (Owari kinko) - your fuchi is classic Kozenji design. The kozuka could be called Umetada or Kaga. Due to shape, I'd say Umetada- but that is just opinion. Nice cloissone kogai chopsticks. Attached, my Kozenji tsuba. Came out of a Phili area museum deacquisiton. Its daisho twin is in the Boston MFA. Cool stuff. I had a kozenji f/k very similar to yours, but sold it. I'm not sure if it would be okay to post the images here, since they are now the property of the other owner.
    1 point
  45. Thank you Geraint. I would tend on Kaga too as the tsuba is Kaga school itself.....
    1 point
  46. Valric, thank you for the feedback and advice. I also appreciate what you shared on Kanemoto. The way you worded it added some cool on the ground level that many rewrite ups lack. Gives it some humanity rather than pure academics. The tsuba I had assumed was more like a $150 tops tsuba so your, French and Pier's answers validates that. It depends on your definition of hoarding and circus freak blades. I have 8 swords, two papered, four guntos (all type 98 two being early), a 1500's Kanekado with 2 ato-bori horimono and one Ko type 32. Ive sold four swords including a second Ko 32, a 1930's ww2 era blade with bohi, horse themed early edo sword, and a muromachi blade with leather gunto saya and made a bit of money on all of them. Now I also have this wakizashi that all in cost me $680. For a blade with these bohi that I really like, an interesting hamon, some real age, full koshirae and an old imperfect polish and probable old gimei that im ok with. I actually think I've done very well with what I have and what I've spent which by the way is an actual challenge. I lived 8 years in Tokyo, Japan, graduated from Jochi/Sophia University, worked for a Japanese International film festival for many years and tend to visit once every four years. Sadly didn't have an interest in swords during that time but have seen many in museums there. My relationship with this hobby currently is just that I refuse to spend say $3,000 on a single sword. I can tell that I'm in a bracket that this forum isn't quite for and can wear ones welcome down quickly if you actively stick around in a pre-well learned "lower bracket" blade phase. I understand that as it can sometimes be like a child interjecting themselves at the adults table. I feel safe amongst the gunto guys though. I do strive to be better. Will continue learning and upgrading my collection and for now I buy in a price range that I will never lose money as I do it.
    1 point
  47. Congratulations. There is a lesson to be learned here for both new and old. There are big, and small name legitimate pieces from Japan (aren't they all) which do not have papers. Simply coming out of Japan or from a dealer without papers is no guarantee one way or the other of their legitimacy. Of course not all are legitimate, but for people to make such broad, sweeping claims is preposterous. This tsuba is in your face proof. It frustrates me every time I hear someone say with such intransigent authority, "If it is a big name and no papers it is gimei", or "If it came out of Japan and doesn't have papers, it's gimei", "it it is from a dealer and has no papers, it's gimei", or "Big name, no papers = no sale". I have brought many un-papered swords and fittings from Japan, which later went on to receive various levels of papers, from Hozon to Juyo. It has been my experience that there is only one rule for this hobby that is set in stone, and that is "nothing is set in stone".
    1 point
  48. Was the Bonhams's one signed, Jelda? (A friend bought one last year and sold it just yesterday, so expect it to bubble up in the market somewhere in due course.) A fine thing to own. Congratulations on yours!
    1 point
  49. Shogun8, Ichiro was so good that people have played happily with signatures on his creations. Some have even ended up in museums.
    1 point
  50. It's more that without the papers, the big name needs to be seen with skepticism. Someone who owns one such thing but refuses to paper it feeds the skepticism. One who owns it and tries to sell it for big dollars is pouring gasoline on the fire of skepticism. If they really believe they can get the paper and then they can get the price they want for it without a problem. That they instead pound away trying to sell with no support on a big name, it shows really that they don't truly believe it. I always tell them, get Hozon and come back to me with it. Nobody ever did. Tells me they all knew already it was junk. In this world if something stinks, it's up to the owner to resolve the stink. If he can resolve it the stink goes away and it can go to the market and do well. If he doesn't want to resolve the stink, he can get only a small price from the next guy who now inherits the stink and the chore of resolving it. This is why the guys with huge names and no papers and these guys who have experience, have no good reason to sell it like that. There's only one, that it's no good. Buy these things for sure, but get a guarantee from the owner that you get it returned if it fails papers. Then you also get to find out how honest he is. Guys selling fakes for profits will generally find a way to get out of their promise to take yours back.
    1 point
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