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Peter Bleed

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Everything posted by Peter Bleed

  1. Good eye, Bazz, but the flaws do NOT cut straight across the plate. They show up on the opposite face but are well-below where they start out. I think they are just crappy "lamination". If I ever swing another trip to Aus, I'll bring this guard along to show you! (But that will require you to come out west of Hoppers Crossing). Peter
  2. Comments by Grev and Chris invite consideration of the guard on this Chinese weapons. As Grev points out, the guard has a rather large, rectangular slot - what WE would call a nakago-ana, but who knows what it was called in China. Interestingly, this guard shows a number of large, coarse forging flaws. Evidence of laminations are to be seen on Japanese katchuchi/tosho tsuba, but these seem - ahhh - remarkable!. Peter
  3. About a year ago at a local gun show I acquired a “Chinese polearm.” It was a boredom buy since I really have neither interest nor knowledge of Chinese weapons, but I think this is of a type that is commonly called a ‘Dao’. It came with no history and truly can be described as “in relic condition.” It sat quietly in a closet until last week when I began thinking – yet again – about “Namban sword guards” which, of course, includes a great range of Southeast and East Asian, European, and Japanese fittings that were re-purposed, traded, and variously mixed. In thinking about that topic, I decided that the best element on the Dao was its lobed guard that seems comparable to “early” Japanese tsuba. The flow of arms between Japan and China is well known. To study that fitting, I set about disassembling the pole arm. I assumed that experience with Japanese arms would offer a basis for this activity. What I discovered was the importance of “MEKUGI” the bamboo pins that hold Japanese blades together. I also came to the conclusion that Chinese construction seems to have been significantly different – and less refined – than Japanese techniques. The tang of the Dao blade was rather loosely set in an open groove in the short section of pole still present. It looks like the pole had been sawed off just beyond the end of the tang. In addition to 4 forged iron rings, the tang was held in place by two (2) iron pins. Based on experience with Japanese polearms, I assumed that these would be comparable to the bamboo pins used in Japan and that they would be removable. In fact, I discovered that the iron pins were essentially fixed. They seemed to have become solidly “rusted” on to the Dao tang. Even heavy (but careful) pounding would not loosen them. Having committed to the project, I decided to cut the iron pin with a thin blade Dremel tool. The take away message may be that bamboo mekugi allowed Japanese blades to be removable, and therefore survivable. Are they, in fact, the real secret behind Japanese blades? Peter
  4. An interesting bit of adventure here. I think Steve is correct with KANEKIYO" but I got out the Sendai list to make sure that the tag wasn't for one of the Sendai Kanes. It isn't! Peter
  5. I am glad to see that others got this message and found it as - potentially - positive. Truth to tell, I had more questions than answers after getting the letter.They WILL accept international shinsa submissions, BUT I am not sure HOW that will be done. Will the organization oversee the toroku and transport? We will still need an agent, right? It strikes me that bringing a shinsa team TO THE SWORDS (!) would be a much easier way of managing international shinsa. Peter
  6. I was kind of thinking it was a TANE, but I can't do anything with that guess. Please let me take me that this opportunity to say THANKS to NMB. Thank you Steve and Jussi! P
  7. Friends! This ken tanto recently came home with a new shirasaya. I like it a lot, but having scratched my head over the mei, I would appreciate the insights of the community. Please! Peter
  8. Bushi with polearms weren't expected to survive. They needed no provision for preserving their weapon. That may be why - in collecting values - naginata are considered below katana, and yari are, well, just not there. Peter
  9. Gee, it looks to me like it says "Bizen" - a district not a signature. Is it ceramic? P
  10. This has been a consistently interesting thread. Thank you all! Having said that, and acknowledging that I am NOT a tsuba collector, (well, I sort of DO have a bunch of Namban guards, but...) I keep coming back to the basic fact that these things are the "tie-tacks and cufflinks" of the Edo period. How can WE understand the quality of these objects without embracing the foibles of their era? Peter
  11. Steve, Thank you, "YES" I see the resemblance. And I assume that this sword was made by a fellow named Sukekuni. Your help and guidance is always important to us. In this case the swordsmith may have been aiming at a distinctive style, but to my eye it does not look to have been skillfully rendered. And this kind of stylistic refinement hardly seems worthy the moment, especially when it turns out that the smith went back to the BOX Kuni a month later. Peter
  12. I can't get a "Kuni" out of this nakago. And IMHO the suke part is pretty dodgy. In a real sense, tho, that doesn't matter. What this sword tells me about is 1) the tragedy of Japan's involvement in the War, with them trying to produce swords when aircraft carriers and tanks were deciding the conflict, and 2) the clear evidence that swordsmithing in Japan is a complex - well- "art" that involves thorough mastery of blacksmithing and tangential crafts like signing an art name with a chisel. I find this sword tragic. Peter
  13. Franco lays out nice, concrete characteristics of “collectible” swords. To his list, I would add that main lines are always much more desirable than the work of documented deshi or later generations. Major smiths always had and maintained a corps of guys who “studied” and supported the main man. Presumably, these smiths went on to fulfill the blade needs of their communities, but as far as I can tell, “school” blades are ‘slow movers’ except maybe in their home towns. Peter
  14. Interesting thread and a GREAT application of NMB. Thank you all! Peter
  15. The paper suggests that this sword dates from what would be called the late Edo period, the so-called "Shin-shinto era." Swords like this are commonly traded on the collectors' market. They are out there. I urge you to meet and visit with other collectors. That is a good way of meeting new people, learning, and seeing swords. Enjoy! Peter
  16. If the rest of this sword at all fits with what were were shown, this should be an obvious Bizen product. Ho-hum.... It might be rather good "of type", but I bet it is just a late koto Bizento.... P
  17. Pound it out as suggested. If it really won't budge, I think it could and should be carefully drilled out. It is not right and can be sacrificed. Peter
  18. Steve offers deep and interesting comments. I had - and have - far less to say, but I WILL mention that I didn't see a butterfly either . Are we sure these documents are with the right tsuba? Peter
  19. Matt, You appear to be doing a great job of managing an important (and odd!) collection.I sincerely hope that when it is all over, you will tell us where all these treasures have gone. Are they going back to Japan? Are Japanese museums paying attention? Certainly, this "collection" needs to be documented. Wow! Peter
  20. I arrive to this discussion late, but I'm seeing Hiratsugu Peter
  21. It is a Bizen Osafune Sukesade - and rather ordinary within that category. But the mounts are quite nice, - rather elaborating hand embellished outside of the "standard". Army I'd assume, and I bet everybody would say "Calvary." Peter
  22. It looks like a strip of cardboard that was added as a shim to stabilize the handle. Later War expedience... Peter
  23. A very interesting thread. Thank you all. I remain a bit unconvinced since I am challenged by the calligraphy AND there sure seems to be a lot of diversity in the works shown. Neat sword, tho, and a good conversation. I'm glad to be a sword collector! Peter
  24. Jake, Goggle "Kieth Austin, swordsmith." Peter
  25. Michael, please tell us more about this sword. Peter
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