Lewis B

To add to Rohan's list. This one is a little more on the budget side with nice koshirae and a Tanobe sensei sayagaki https://eirakudo.shop/203887

大和守外永作 Doesn't look right. The rest seems ok

I like the design choices on the piece, especially the fittings. Very playful.

Thanks for the link. You're right the resolution and contrast is good enough in those examples to see the fine detail in the hada.

Yes, the saying You never see a ghost or a Go, certainly adds to the mythology and exceptionalism surrounding his work. I think part of the problem is that there are no signed works in existance (except maybe one tanto I read about in the Homma's Kantō Hibi Shō). And that at various levels of Shinsa the attribution flip flops at the whim of the panel in charge that year. There is no doubt the blades attributed to him are amongst the best examples of Soshu-den, but there is a certain degree of ambiguity in the attribution, due to the lack of signed reference pieces. To me it really signals a level of quality and that the attribution is secondary.

Those are little better but low rez. If I squint I think I see masame in the shinogi-ji

Ahh it's been o-suriage to a wakizashi. Good illustration how great photos can become useful study material. Unfortunately older b&w images like these are lacking.

Yes, of course you are correct. Thank you for the correction. Not sure what gave me the idea Hoki was on Kyushu. However there is a suggestion a connection existed between the Ko-Hoki school and the Bungo Yukihira group. The influential Tendai Daisenji Temple located on Hoki Daisen Mountain garrisoned military monks in the late Heian. This temple was apparently in a subsidiary position to Kyoto's Enryakuji Temple. The Ko-Hoki supplied the Tendai with arms, thus creating a connection as part of the Tendai power, which may have extended to Bungo Yukihira who was a Hiko-Yama bushi on Hikosan Mountain, the centre of Tendai influence in Kyushu. The Chouanji Temple (Bungo-Takada) was also known for its connections to the Kamakura Bakufu. If Norishige was aware of Yukihira through the Saeki clan connection with Bungo and the Otomo, it may have led him to Yukimitsu as well as offering an opportunity to see and study Ko-Hoki swords.

My Senjuin blade. I've been looking for explanations how Norishige might have had an entre into the Shintogo Kunimitsu atelier. It appears the Saeki clan origins of Norishige could explain a connection. Historical texts say the Saeki served as senior retainers to the Otomo clan in Bungo during the Kamakura era. That gives us a link, at least geographically, to Bungo Yukihira who is said to be Yukimitsu's father and this association may have been the introduction Norishige needed to join Shintogo & Co. Furthermore, the Ko-Hoki smiths appeared to have a connection with Bungo and the Tendai and in turn the Saeki/Otomo clans. This local clan affiliation might explain why he was so fixated throughout, but especially early in his career, with their blades and style. Nice to consider the possibility his first sensei was one of these later Hoki smiths or more likely one from Bungo. I doubt he would have acquired a taste for this 'rustic' style, nor the techniques, from the Kyoto Awataguchi tradition of Shintogo. This very unusual nagamei inscription on a TJ tanto has raised an interesting connection to Hoki Sanemori. Under what circumstances would Norishige have included a reference to another smith on one of his blades? Out of deference or acknowledgement? Markus S says there were several generations of Hoki-Sanemori so perhaps one of these was his first teacher or associated in some way with his early training. Worthy of further study. This is an extract from Soshuden Museum discussing the Mei. It is necessary to point out the existence of another tantō, which, unlike the previous ones, has survived up to modern times: Tokubetsu Jūyō No. 9. It was also signed by the master in a slightly unusual way. Above the signature, the 勝 (Shō, Katsu) kanji is located on top of the only mekugi-ana. It has the following meanings: “win,” “victory.” The large space between the smith’s signature and this kanji emphasizes that there is no connection between these two elements. This kanji was known to be used in signatures of Hōki Ōhara Sanemori (伯耆大原真守). However, he placed it on the tachi on the haki-ura side, where the date of manufacture had to be located (e.g., see Sanemori’s tachi classified as Tokubetsu Jūyō No. 19). The appearance of this kanji in Norishige’s signature seems strange, especially since it was written in smaller strokes than the signature itself. NBTHK experts conclude that it is part of the master’s signature. Consequently, Norishige explicitly denoted his relationship with Sanemori, as well as with the Ko-Hōki (古伯耆) School. This school’s strong influence has always been reflected in the works of many smiths connected with the Sagami School and especially in Masamune’s swords. However, we should note that this blade was dated 1314. This sword was forged before Norishige started his training with Masamune, whose artistic works were most directly associated with Ko-Hōki. Therefore, as a result, the meaning of this kanji has not yet been clarified.

This is why I believe Norishige already had a Sensei prior to Kunimitsu. It was normal for apprenticeships to start when the student was in their early teens (basically strong enough to swing a hammer with some accuracy and control). This would suggest he had several years swordsmithing experience under his belt before joining the Sagami atelier. And like Go he must have shown some considerable prodigy-like skill to be allowed to learn the techniques of, and be taught by the old grandmaster. Not long after he would sign his own blades. Earliest in oshigata dated 1309. This must have been quite meaningful in that Kamakura period context, suggesting less sensei/follower relationships (with Yukimitsu/Go/Masamune) and more like an equal, collegiate arrangement. Yes, Norishige is quite the enigma amongst the pantheon of early Soshuden masters.

Thank you @MassiveMoonHeh for a very interesting and thought provoking op-ed. The analogy to the early days of Silicon Valley and how this brought together a critical mass of knowledge and advancement through experimentation and collaboration is just so apt. One can only imagine how Soshuden might have evolved had the Kamakura Bakafu stayed in power and these early Grandmasters remained in close proximity..... @eternal_newbie made a timely resurrection of the thread discussing historical connection between Go and Yamatoden. Only one extant blade attributed to Go exhibits a clear Yamato and Soshu influence but there are blades by other makers that blend the forging styles and deki of these two gokaden. I think old oshigata show blades by Go existed with Yamato influence. The obvious exponent of Yamato and Soshu styles is Shizu Saburo and his followers. But also Senjuin Yoshihiro can be added in the mix. Working back from his active dates and examples of blades with nengo, we arrive at a DOB ca. 1280, it's certainly within the realms of possibility he was Go's father. I'm curious how Go could have been smithing in Sagami and also be a retainer of the Momonoi family in Matsukura, given his young age. Whatever the truth given what he achieved in such a short time clearly establishes his prodigy status. The pact with the devil theory is a unique perspective Exploring the connection of Go with Senjuin Yoshihiro, we can see how the young Go might have been taught Yamato styles of sword making. I have a small, thin 62cm o-suriage kodachi (shortened approx 10cm) that has NBTHK attribution to Senjuin. However it has strong Soshu forging style influence, and thus is open to some interesting possibilities, such as being by Senjuin Yoshihiro. The hataraki, the ichimai boshi with hakkikake, chikei throughout some with an angular shape, yubashiri, sunagashi and ara-nie with tightly forged itame hada and surface nie throughout giving the blade a wet appearance. All that mixed with the Yamato features of masame with a high and wide shinogi. I need to spend time comparing the features on this sword with those of blades attributed to Go, especially the Kabuto-Giri Go This blade was originally part of the Tsukamoto museum collection and I can see how it would have appealed to a collector from an academic standpoint. The juxtaposition of characteristic features from two different gokaden in one blade is quite unusual.

I think Norishige had long departed Sagami before the fall of the Kamakura bakafu as centre of power. He signed some of his later work Saeki (his family/Clan name) and its believed this was used after he had moved back to Etchu and established the forge in Gokafu District. The earliest dated Norishige with full naga-mei is this one from 1319, 14 years before the upheaval. https://www.nihonto-museum.com/collection/exhibit/tokubetsu-juyo-norishige-tanto

Red flag? Not familiar enough with WW2 mounts to know if mods were made.

It's a 5 star rated hotel just to give you some idea. $$$$$ I take my campervan so no worries on the overnight arrangements. The event has been held at the hotel every year except for the inaugural one (the 2nd might have been at the conference centre too but 99% sure it wasn't)

Excellent. In a dealer capacity?