Jacques D.

Shinto Bungo smiths (2 generation) early XVIII century

All kokuho here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Treasures_of_Japan_(crafts:_swords)

My last intervention on this subject. Being a collector does not mean being an expert, I know some very high level collectors (those are not on the web) who have little or very little real knowledge. On the other hand, a dealer has a commercial interest in passing himself off as an expert, especially those who only sell on the net. Finally, I have never seen a Japanese expert (and I know a few) establish a top 10 of swordsmiths. Fujishiro lists 55 koto smiths saijo saku, for him they all have the same level.

Lol, what's the title of that topic ? Top 10 Swordsmiths In Japanese History Not who are your ten favorite swordsmiths. Worth reading https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-cognitive-bias-2794963

Ah, you are also expert in music and painting, as i'm not i won't comment. I think however that comparing Bach with Mozart, Rachmaninov, Mussorgsky is not relevant. On the other hand I can say that Yehudi Menuhin was much better than André Rieux. ps I have great doubts about the comprehension skills of a climate skeptic.

If one of you could motivate his choices I think it would be interesting

I don't have favorites, I know how to recognize a sword with artistic qualities from one without, but I don't have the knowledge to say if Tadayoshi Shodai's work is better or not than Umetada Myoju's, who worked together. Can we say that Hankei is better or not than Norishige? Their style is comparable but they didn't use the same steel, nor the same techniques.

Irrelevant, you can't compare two swordsmiths from different times and different schools.

Horii is a family name rather a school one.

Have à look a the location of nakago shinogi on both sides, they show the sword is ubu. Compare the size of the ha machi with these on oshigatas shared by Jussy; it's why i said that sword was shortened yesterday

When a sword is suriage (over than 1 or 2 cm) it's always machi-okuri too. This sword is not from Nanbokucho but probably from the 20th century, it was made to look like an old one. About mekugi ana, they are in no way a proof. i've seen punched mekugi ana perfectly circular and drilled ones which are not.

Looking at the machi one would say that it was suriage yesterday...

Masamune's alleged secret forging technique makes me laugh a lot. What did he teach his many apprentices ? Knitting ? ps the Soshu kitae was never used by Masamune; it is a legend.

Honsanmai tsukuri ...

Exceptionally... To my knowledge, there is only one tachi signed by Kanekyio forged in masame, all the others are in itame mixed with more or less masame. I would like to see others with only masame