EdO

Gassan Sadakatsu EdS

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=17319 Ed S

it can be so easy, think this will help I guess you will see the complete mei http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/koa.htm Ed S just a little to late with the reply

Chris, I agree the sword is a little odd also with the o kisaki and not standard hamon but who knows? as long as we don't know if there are papers on the sword or that it has been put in for papers. I have seen this sword for sale about two years ago on a Japanese site there where more photo's and the jihada looked like Yasutoku but again a joined work of father and son maybe there was a compromise or special order for a sword like that? (playing a little the devils advocate now :D ) as far as I know the only thing sure in Japanese swords is that's nothing is shure :D what to think about the swords he made in Kanemoto style and Rai style I have seen these with hozon Ed S

I notice that too. Kiji momo was use to help distinguish his work with that of of student Kotani Yasunori even though the mei is different it was pronounced the same. Since he sign his full signature instead of the two characters use on many Yasukunito it might not be totally necessary for him to use kiji momo. Wah Hi Wan, maybe this is a better example. Ed S

Hi Chris , on a lot of swords he made after 1935 Kajiyama Yasutoku still used the normal nakago shape. here is one example. Ed S

Definitely. I corresponded with him on many occasions and he was truly ahead of his time with his appreciation of WWII era blades. Yes he was and here is the proof see the date on the paper :D Ed S

Hi Chris, I totally agree but I think Han Bing Siong deserves also a place in the list of people you mentioned as being one of the pioneers in this field. Ed S

agree with that it was maybe the trigger to get thing started. but I think a small group was already busy with them. as example the earliest papers (NBTHK) I was able to find 1: Yasutoku tokebetsu kicho issued in 1976 to a European collector (so the owner was already aware at least in 1975 that the sword could get papers). 2 :Takenori tokebetsu kicho issued in 1974 to a Japanese collector. these are the earliest ones I have seen maybe some else have seen papers that where issued before that date love to hear if somebody have seen these. Ed S

Yasukuni to in kaigunto koshirae are rare but not uncommon. I have seen a couple of them, I can remember a Yasushige and a Yasuoki. a other reason that you maybe see them not that often is that there are not many kaigunto left in comparison with the shingunto. don't forget Yasuhiro and Yasutoku both made a presentation sword for the emperor; one made the blade for the kaigunto the other one made the blade for the shingunto so it seems the made both from the start. Ed S

maybe there is a reason for the Japanese pricing (less important for us I think) but a blade made on the ground of a important shrine or one made in jail maybe by prisoners? I had a long talk with a oldJapanese collector at the end of our talk (we where talking swords in general) he ask me for my interest I told him Yaskuni to was one of them, he was extremely surprised. luckily enough a friend of him had a Yasukuni to in full polish and I was able to point out some of the futures of the blade (utsuri etc) he was flabbergasted and he has studied the blade for almost one hour and told me he has seen things he only had seen in koto blades and never would have believed it also could be found in gendaito. Ed S

Chris, mr. Han Bing Siong gave a kantei with two German collectors that he described in that time as having the most knowledge on Japanese swords in Europe. the sword for kantei was a Kajiyama Yasutoku the both came to the conclusion that it had to be Kamakura Aoe school. think the swords where in the early years in Japan not often available to the open market; take for example the Yasunori of field marshall Teruichi he surrendered his family sword and kept the Yasunori. most of the examples I have seen had very early tokuro so they must have been in big collections or with high family's and also take in consideration they where made on (for the Japanese) holly ground and some times a imperial gift; not something you give up easily I think. the reason we see them more nowadays is maybe that father or grandfather passed away? Ed S

Hi Henry, the times I visit the Dai Token Ichi there where at least 10 or more Yasukuni to also the shops in Tokyo I visit had some in stock (but I was specifically looking for them maybe that's the difference) also bought some from the private collection of a well known dealer so you can conclude that they are well appreciated in Japan also. Ed S

Thanks Chris, that's really useful information . it puts the things in perspective . Ed S

I agree With you Chris seeing the amount of blades signed Kunimori there has to more then one person who made these, maybe now and then they where allowed to use there own name on some of the blades? also the Kunimori signed blades I have seen always had a Koa Isshin feeling to them don't want to say mass produced but most of them look very similar to them (almost to much). Ed S