Eric H

I wish to everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2010 The year of the Tiger Eric

Jean, I'd like to add some other pics of a Moroha-Tanto, shumei Kagemitsu, whose hamon has very close similarity to yours, but I believe is of a later jidai. The picture is from Internet and is "stretched". Nagasa 22.3 cm. The shumei shows the "upper box" also equal relative in size as in yours, fortuity ?, or is it the normal way to write this kanji. Eric

BIZEN KAGEMITSU, a VERY BIG NAME his name immediately recalls a hamon in kataochi-gunome. Jean's Kagemitsu displays a pronounced gunome in regular succession, a feature which is not expected to see in a hamon by Kagemitsu. Of course my limited opinion is based only on what was available from books and the Internet and is therefore not at all decisive. In the Token Bijutsu engl. Edition are listed 7 swords by Kagemitsu and I have attached 4 representative Tanto's. Is there a possibility of the second generation ? No. 26 - 27.97 cm Genka 2 - 1322 No. 18 - 24.20 cm Gan-Nen - 1324 No. 13 - 22.73 cm No. 03 - 21.20 cm Eric

Jean, for comparison Tanto 26 cm - Shochu 2 - 1325 Tanto 22.2 cm - Karyaku 2 - 1327 Tanto 25.2 cm - Gentoku 2 - 1330 Eric

To compare, rightmost is also a shoshin-mei on a blade dated 1943 Eric

http://jssus.org/ Articles Nevertheless I recommend to "potentially prospective polishers" to read the articles on this subject by Andrew Quirt, and Grey Doffin Eric

The following is a comment by Kazushige Tsuruta "AOI" on a blade by Masanori He was a descendant of the Sanjyo Yoshinori. He was working at Tango miyatsu province and moved to fukui prefecture. He was making gunome midare and also suguha hamon mainly. I think he was influenced by Echizen Yasutsugu. Eric

Have a look at the kanji "masa" Eric

If interested you find the "siniu" on page 176 ff. Eric

Stephen, thank you for your statement. Eric

To avoid wrong conclusions ! As I am, officially, the only "Swiss" on the Board, I want to say that I have nothing to do with this affair. Eric

Superb , my favorite is the "Shibui-Tsuba" Eric

Carlo, I suppose it's the "Guardian Tanto" for Prince Hisahito. Eric

A Kaiken or Yomeiri Tanto 15.3 cm - uchizori - motohaba 2 cm - kasane 1 cm Yomeiri Tanto...a small sized Tanto was handed over to a bride by her parents for self-protection in the case when a daughter married. It is sake of readiness to marry into an another family. Such a traditional custom continues in a good family even in modern times. Eric

Sold for $ 4,050 - 5 Bidders, 13 Bids Eric

For those who are not familiar with the Art of these marvelous articulated masterpieces, here some examples from the Lundgren Collection, at Christie's 1997. SNAKE signed Muneyoshi (Myochin) - Meiji - 125 cm - Estimate $13,000-16,000 - unsold DRAGON signed Myochin Ki no Muneakira, dated 1713 - 143 cm - Estimate $ 81,000-110,000 - unsold SHACHI Kozan sei Muneyoshi - late 19th/early 20th c - 61 cm - Estimate $ 33,000-48,000 - unsold Eric

It was sold for £ 2,040 Eric

Raymond, Thank you for posting, the boshi is a prime example for "o-maru". Congratulations. Eric

Moriyama san, You are always ready to help, thanks again for the quick reply Eric

Moriyama san, I am very grateful for the translation of this sayagaki. Thank you in advance. Eric

The appearance of Masamune by Honma Junji Eric 12 Nr. 558.pdf

And nowadays ? I refer to Victor Harris "Cutting Edge, Japanese Swords in the British Museum", Nr. 50, Katana by Yokoyama Sukenaga, very dubious and others as well. Compare yourself. BTW those big named blades, namely Katana Masamune kinzogan and Yukimitsu Tanto, for instance, from the Festing Collection, in my memory they were two times at Sotheb'y or Christie's but remained unsold. Later on an antique dealer located in Geneva, Switzerland, tried to sell them, but I believe without success. Eric

Jean, as you know I appreciate your refreshing humor :D Eric

:lol: :lol: :lol: Jean, that was a joke. All books I have acquired over many years have been paid with hard Swiss-Francs. Eric

Jean, yes, all books are from a pawn shop Eric