Vermithrax16

Very kind Dan.

Lovely.

I'm getting a Ko-Kinko vibe from it.

Great end result. Nice work.

Made timeless by the Risendo School artist Mitsumasa, the eerie feeling they can evoke is moving.
This example by Yoshinori (Muneta School) has much of the same power. In hand it has a certain presence.

This kozuka really hits me hard and absorbs one's attention. One of my absolute favorites.

Outstanding iron! Wow. Congrats. 

I also endorse seller, top flight service. 

2 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Good question. I have a Netsuké in that dragon design, but when did the abstract form originate?

 

Talking of dragon menuki, I have one in gold which was re-invented as a maé-kanagu on a kinkarakawa inro/sagemono tobacco pouch. 
 

 

Oooohhhh I like that. Nice.

Dragon thread always a great way to see some nice things. Good idea.

I think maybe I did know this at some point.......but came across again last night.

Iron was banned as a material for Goto fittings. Alas, the great Ichijo used an alternate name for his iron works. I would wonder, would anyone really have made a fuss? He's the master.

2 hours ago, cluckdaddy76 said:

Oil from my hands? Or is this overkill?

I wear gloves on any soft metal pieces or when I'm cleaning items. No biggie.

Great!!!!! Thanks for posting them!

Great package. 

Your best way forward should this be a legitimate endeavor is private contact a reputable steward of the art like Raymond Singer or Mike Yamasaki. Perhaps a confidentiality agreement can be made to better hasten information exchange. Best of luck.

I love them and could use the good feelings.

Age and use in time passed usually will dictate suriage.  Especially to stuff into gunto mounts. Or shorten a long early Koto sword for non horseback applications. Modern uses can be to fit a beloved koshirae or maybe remit a bad spot on nakago. I prefer shirasaya so it's not ever a consideration.

Presentation here:

https://nbthk-ab2.or...u-by-jeremiah-lilly/

It's long been a theory of mine many metal artists viewed contemporary art work as inspiration for some works. My presentation was based on this.

Here an actual kozuka by the great Hamano Noriyuki describing this work as "in the style of Gessen", a famous artist of the time. Fascinating.

Well today did not go as well as I had hoped. Using a light box I bought a while ago to take pictures of fittings, but nothing was coming out "good". I'll work on it.

As such, a few sword pictures did come out pretty good. Subject is the violent masame hada of Mito Norikatsu:

I can only speak for myself but what most attracts me is the heavy deposition of nie all over the blade and especially along the forging lines. Masame can vary between very refined, you have to use lighting to see the grain, to wildly violent where it's obvious. I gravitate towards the violent. Most Yamato Hosho are on the refined side of the ledger, while Norikatsu and Kunikane can be on the more wild side.

Forging openings are the bane of masame works, but can be overlooked in Koto era blades due to age (though Tegai and Uda works that show masame seem to be worst offenders IMO and should not ne overlooked, it seems a deficiency) but should be absent in a Shinshinto forging or later.

A look though my swords that I own show that I only buy masame swords, so of course I am heavily biased 

Some very nice iron.

On 9/10/2023 at 4:07 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

Birds of a feather flock together. Can't beat that feeling of satisfaction. 

 

Sometimes it's the serendipity that first draws your attention and opens up your eye and your understanding, allowing you to form certain goals ahead.

 

Did you choose, or were you chosen, to educate us re these Mito smiths? 

Since seeing member @Jean Yamoto Hosho sword years ago, I am a total convert to the masame hada cause and passion. Mito Norikatsu I think is the most grand of all the makers, but obviously, I have a bias 

This has been a top goal of mine for some time. A long time. While not quite 100% complete (need a signed Norikatsu tanto), it's still something I am excited about.

A full set of masame hada works by the great Shinshinto smith Norikatsu, with one by his finest student Masakatsu, to round out the set.

Often in our study and searching, a million things can and will jump out at you, temptation is everywhere. Staying focused and with your primary desires in mind at the end, is as rewarding a feeling as one can have. At least it feels that way when I lay out this family of works.

Katana: “Made by Katsumura Norikatsu, resident of Suifu ‒ “On a day of the eighth month, Keiō three (1867)"

Wakizashi: “Made by Norikatsu, a resident of Mito, on a day of the third month Bunkyū one (1861)"

O-Tanto: unsigned: Mito Masakatsu

Excellent iron, congratulations!

It's been 4 years of searching but finally it paid off. A wakizashi by Norikatsu, my favorite smith, with masame hada that's as spectacular as it comes. The masame on this work is utterly violent, with thick nie abundant and chikei all over the sword. Hirauchi shape. A magnificent short sword to pair with my Katana by the same smith. Sorry for the poor pictures, I got in late and pressed for time.

Suifu-jū Norikatsu saku ‒ Bunkyū gannen sangatsu hi

“Made by Norikatsu, a resident of Mito, on a day of the third month Bunkyū one (1861)"

2 hours ago, Brian said:

Jeremiah, I'd need a pdf copy sent to me (or allow me to download it from them) and permission from you to host it here too?
Would be very happy to add it to our library
 

You can grab the PDF from the site, but I will post it here as well when I get to my home computer.