John A Stuart

Hi All, This is a new sword I have purchased papered to Hokkyo Koansai before he changed his name. Nijimei, Jumyo. Shodai of the Kondo line, after all his name used to be Kondo Sozaemon, and Nidai of the Owari Jumyo. Lots of movement in those days, looking for sponsorship and steady work. Anyhow, I have no references here and wondered what the name for this particular style of horimono was especially with the carving in the middle. Thanks John

I've found shirasaya rather easy to split and reglue after cleaning. Some place in this forum we've discussed this before. Jim Kurrasch in his discussions on his site, I know someone has preserved it, was my inspiration on doing it. John

Hi Martin, There are some modern experimentors that are producing their versions of the florid hamon types. I think that is one. I know I've seen that before. John

Here is an oshigata of a kikusui hamon. John

Can't get Mino out of my head here. So; Around 1450 Mino Magaroku Kanemoto osuriage, perhaps orikaeshimei? John

Yes indeed, good news for everyone. John

But Thierry isn't that the Akasaka goose theme? John

Here are some Chidori tsuba including a Goto school example. John

A different tsuba, yes, not my cup of tea really.Reminds me of plovers, but fat ones. Wisteria too.

Hi katanako, I am leary when this is the case. If the seller refuses to send a pic with it removed, I would be suspicious. John

Hi All, I just wqnted to wish all my fellow Canadians on the board a happy holiday. Lets be thankful that, for a while at least, we can buy swords and fittings on par with our southern cousins. Hiding in a bay with pending 60 knot winds and -20C temps and a turkey stuffed abdomen I am thankful for all the education this board has, and thus its' members, provided. John

Do I not remember Tanobe san going to the opening there along with some board member that had helped with this exhibit. I recall some such, I think. John

Hi Stephen, Too right. Noticed it. but was too fuzzy for me to call. Thx John

Hi Roland, Just curious but the tsukaito looks tight in the pics. How did you get the menuki out for a shot? More loose than I thought? John

Thanks Koichi san. Yes. Carlo the inscriptions intrigued me and the price was good. Even though it is a suriage shinto sword by maybe Yasusada although there seem to be slight variation in the 'kami' kanji. Further investigation warranted. John

Thats great. Thanks. So saidan for scissors? that conjures up a whole bunch of weird mental images. The 'Tailor of Kibi' :lol: I am curious which meaning that makane passage could be. Seems strange for a name though, yes? John

Well, I looked at the pic of the nakago and if suriage very well reshaped. The mekugiana looks punched as well. I maintain ubu status though but you may see something I'm missing. If that is hitatsura it sometimes is subdued and not necessarily a rule for soshu den to have it. Tobiyaki could point to mino den which combined soshu with yamato tradition but there was a lot of adaptation within that school.The overall sugata has a soshu feel to me. So mf, this is just my amateur opinion. John

Hi Moriyama san, Indeed there is an omote mei but it has been cut off at 'Yamato no Kami....' This might help. Thanks, John

Hi all, I wonder if I might have a hand with the ura mei and kin mei on this sword. I have left it as a 270 kb gif for maghification.The pic itself has been tweaked so that it may be read more easily. I know the kin mei says cut 4 bodies at do (torso) 'yotsu do saidan' missing something. The ura mei says somebody from Kibi did the test. Interesting stuff. So if the blanks can be filled I would be most grateful. John

Hi MP, Can't tell much about whether this is cut froma larger blade by the pics but doesn't have the obvious telltales. Sure seems an ubu blade tome. May I suggest?, looking through some soshu den examples and comparing them to your blade. You seem to be showing hitatsura in your drawing. Not bad by the way. Of course probably Muromachi or later. John

Hi Kevin, Although I believe that an advanced student that has nailed down a good noto and nuki will not harm an old blade, I think support for new smiths is a good thing. However I am concerned with the feeling that only a sword made in Japan is worth buying. There are some very good quality swords made in the traditional manner outside of Japan and these smiths need our support as well No harangue so 'nuff said. Just a thought. John

Hi Grey, I have had a similar piece at one time that I subsequently gave to my brother in law. Not sure if this is the same but music was just as important in Japan and with foreign influence may account for this piece. What I had was an ebony rule that was used to create the lines for music. The rule was cylindrical so that ink would not run down to the page as you would see when using old style pens (fountain, ink wells) with a flat rule. Not sure if this is the case here but western practice was adopted fast with import of western tech. John

Hi Milt, Combined with the parasol definitely precipitation (snow), I would suspect the left side is finished as the kogaiana is fully formed. I believe that it is the desire to be unbalanced, that is why the snow flakes are different, that motivated the tsubako. John

Hi, May I suggest silica gel packs. They can be purchased in large pouches and when drying effect is lost can be re activated by a time in the oven. Some packs have moisture indicators built in, usually colour, blue- dry, pink moist. Cheapest. There are electric heater bar dehumidifiers used for gun cabinets but that requires wiring. John

Pretty darn good argument. I may have noticed the vertical misalignment of the kanji but that mekugiana placement would have been overlooked for sure by me, but, now, never will be in the future. A good lesson for us who would have been more inclined to accept the mei as genuine, of course until shinsa verified it. Great stuff. John