Jump to content

Lee Bray

Members
  • Posts

    826
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

Everything posted by Lee Bray

  1. I asked a dealer(Westerner in Japan) on ebay by the name of Mackstar(long dead account - his reputation is documented in this forum) why he had sent the original Torokusho with the blade I bought off him. Next thing I know, my real name and address are on his auctions labeling me as a troublemaker. I complained to ebay and within a day, they had pulled all his auctions with my name in them and apparently issued him a warning. If you wish your name removed, it maybe possible.
  2. Well said, Ron. I don't know about buying Nihonto for the fittings but I have one here that I am thinking of keeping because I like the fittings it has. It's part of a collection myself and a friend bought. It's just come back from shinsa in Japan; a wakizashi that papered to Sue Mihara. It's a reasonable blade but not one I or my friend really care to keep. It has a good set of signed Nara Toshishige fuchi kashira though which I like a lot. I have an almost matching Nara tsuba which fits the blade, too, so together it makes a good set. If I can manage the finances on it, I think it will be a keeper because of the fittings. The blade will make a good tsunagi.
  3. Jason, Norimitsu and son? If you're going to ignore the opinion of some of the most knowledgeable members using the best references around and make up your own smiths, maybe you should just send it straight to shinsa and save everyone lots of time?
  4. Lee Bray

    Any comments?

    Either a drunken polisher or camera angle problems. Check the first picture of the side by side nakago. The lines look straight in that shot, though the shinogi is somewhat crooked. Perhaps this points at some 'bending' of the nakago but I don't think so based on the resultant nakago.
  5. Well, for me in this instance, keeping the original habaki was about the art, not artifact. It's an artistic habaki and to recreate one the same...well, it just wasn't needed, it fitted. To discard it for a new one would be foolish, in my opinion.
  6. I say keep the old if it still fits and is still functional. A new polish doesn't necessarily mean that the habaki loses fit and as it will not be cut with, I don't see the need for a super tight fit. I have a Kamakura/Nambokucho tanto here in signed koshirae by Kajikawa, with a two piece gold and silver habaki in the shape of Mt.Fuji. It's just come back from the restorer, new polish and shirasaya and we kept the old habaki. Fits perfectly and I much prefer the fact the habaki is old and original to the koshirae, not modern.
  7. Thanks, Gentlemen. I guess the lack of year confused me. First time I've seen that...anyone know of the relevance? It's on a sword signed Harima (no) Kami Minamoto Kunitsugu; the few in Hawley's are around the Kanbun era.
  8. Hachi Gatsu Yoshi/Kichi ? This date? is making no sense to me, please help.
  9. Grey - I'm also dubious about the nakago - shape, patina and the mekugi ana(peg holes). Overall shape of the sword and the way it fits the shirasaya seem a little suspect to me as well, but it's only my opinion. My 'gut' says fake sword fitted to a good shirasaya or possibly a real sword very poorly 'restored'. I hope I'm wrong.
  10. Hi Michael. Just so everyone is aware, I'm the fella expressing scepticism toward this blade on the other forum. Regarding the tip and the wavy line(hamon); the hamon curves around the tip of the sword following the sharp edge to some degree. This is called the Boshi. Should the tip sustain damage for some reason, when it is repaired, this boshi is decreased and obviously it can never be replaced. Therefore professional polishers take great care restoring the tip. Your sword doesn't show that care, unfortunately. Compare the shape of your kissaki(tip) with the sword in the link I provided on the other forum. Go to the home page of that site and find other swords to compare kissaki shape. You'll see what I mean.
  11. You're working from the 1966 edition of Hawley's, apparently without the introductory pages of Vol.1 or the complete Vol.2. K & S represent the Koto or Shinto volumes of the Nihon Toko Jiten, one of Hawley's references. The addenda are extra smiths compiled in Vol.2. In your image, there are four extra smiths for the addenda.
  12. Looks more like a Shishi dog with the short face and hair.
  13. http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/unji.htm That should help.
  14. Thanks, Chris... I found this: Tanaka Kiyotoshi (Japanese, 1804-1876) Also known as * 田中淸壽 (竜叟法眼) * Ryuso Hogen * Ikkashi * Kiyotoshi Tanaka :so I think Moriyama San has it correct. Thanks guys. I melted my eyeballs with Self & Hirose on this one...
  15. Does this read Nara Tsuneshige?
  16. Nobuyoshi it is, though no idea which one.
  17. Certainly not out of line. If the gentleman cannot identify the age and school or maker of the blade then how can he know how to restore it to its proper state? Obviously he can't. No doubt a good bladesmith and craftsman but not the qualifications needed for Nihonto restoration. It's restoration, not putting a shiny finish on a blade. But argue with the wind. You'll get just as far.
  18. :D Good information, George, thanks. From what I'm finding, Noriyuki II had a few earlier names; age 14 - Matsujiro, age 17 - Masakata, age 25 - Noriyuki. Masakata...Norimasa...Noriyuki? Edit - It seems Itoryuken was a name used by his teacher and his teacher's teacher on occasion.
  19. Good stuff, thanks guys. Toryuken would have been his first name? George - it's a mei of a kodzuka I'm thinking of buying from a dealer. His information was - "Norinobu. Later became Noriyuki II." So it purports to be the early mei of Hamano Noriyuki II (1771 - 1852) All examples I can find of his mei are signed with his Noriyuki mei. The work is very good but seems to be lacking the quality of his later pieces. So I am unsure. :D
  20. Is it allowable to show a picture of the book page? I wrote most of the text from the page in my previous post. Robert Haynes also refers to the design as the kanji Dai.
  21. Using 'Self & Hirose' and far too much time, I think this reads Sho Ryu Ken Nori Nobu - Shoryuken Norinobu. Not sure about the first kanji but fairly confident on the rest. Could I please get a correction or confirmation?
  22. Ah, I overlooked Mr.Rose's comment on the burn mark and bend and stand corrected.
×
×
  • Create New...