Lewis B

Could be kirikomi plus a filled mekugi ana.

The menuki are not that dissimilar to this pair that just listed on Eirakudo https://eirakudo.shop/807221

Very attractive set. I especially like the playful posing of the Shishi lions in the menuki.

The Rosetta Stone and Elgin Marbles might argue that statement At least the photos are quite high quality. I can even see the cat number for the Yoshikane, which to me is a really nice piece. Entered the BM inventory in 1992 and came from the Walter Compton Collection through the Christie's auction. They paid $143k. The Zufu states it's quite tired but the fact it's signed/ubu makes it important. And it's almost 1000 years old, so I guess we can cut it some slack. I prefer the Ko Bizen Kageyasu tachi though.

Not sure that any large waterfalls like that exist in Japan. The closest I could find was Shiraito Falls but nothing on the scale of that image, nor with such a large meandering river feeding it. My guess is its Chinese. Unless its a figment of a Japanese artists imagination.

Good thing there are two magpies in the scene and not one "One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told".

Thanks

OK, I'll give it a shot Kunimitsu (Shintogo), Yuki (Yukimitsu), Masamune, Kunimitsu (nidai?), Kunihiro, Kuniyasu (Daishinbo) I'm guessing this is Norishige. Not directly associated with the other Sagami smiths. Can anyone read the neighbouring kanji to give the name some context? I get the impression this manuscript is causing few ripples given its potential significance as the oldest Mei zukushi so far discovered. Reinhard says the hand is different (and that's clearly discernible) so do the experts/academics think this a far more recent text and this explains the apparent lack of interest, post initial furore. In other words the document is a bit of a red herring.

Ditto. I was equally underwhelmed at the V&A too. Here they seemed to focus on the connection with a historical figure rather than celebrate the sword and show something of consequence from a nihonto perspective.

To confirm its magnetic and therefore steel.

I’ll be there. 3rd year.

And more photos please.

Use the QR code and it takes you to the individual descriptions in English.

The Yukimitsu tanto, with a unique hitatsura hamon, zaimai placing him still in Kamakura in 1322. This one really needs a photographic record.

Nice utsuri. Good luck with the Shinsa. Let us know how it goes.

It's a mumei Tokubetsu Juyo papered Chu-Aoe katana from Nanbokucho era, so no Rai-hada passes.

In my effort to observe and evaluate hada I'm curious how more knowledgeable viewers would describe these 'islands' on the hada. I have a hard time believing it's shintetsu but even so I personally find it quite unattractive.

If I had a time machine I would like to know more about Norishige's origins. Nothing is known about his father or earliest swordmaking experience. I believe he was already trained in the basics before arriving at the Shintogo Kunimitsu workshop and was there for a short time to master the new forging techniques pioneered by Shintogo, which he then incorporated into his own distinctive forging style. In contrast to the other connected members of the atelier Norishige seems to be a bit of an outsider, coming from a backwater province with no strong tradition of sword making prior to Norishige and therefore no apparent pedigree. There are Shintogo's 3 sons, Yukimitsu (son of nidai Bungo Yukihira, not the earlier gobankaji Yukihira), Masamune (son, adopted son or younger brother of Yukimitsu) and then this outlier Norishige. Shintogo must have thought highly of this young smith to take him on.

Not dissimilar to the first tsuba I bought. Fortuitously fits my small Senjuin katana perfectly with zero movement.

I think everyone here knows you VERY well too Jacques. Personally I'm veering more towards provocative at this point. I meant it in exactly the way Bobby says. No one said the traits are unique to Shintogo but the similarities in forging style of that Awataguchi Nobukuni tanto and an archetypical Shintogo produced tanto suggest that there had been some influence in swordmaking technology, through contact with Nobukuni or any of his close associates. Historical references put them in the same region of Japan at the same time. So you're discounting any influence by the Awataguchi school? And why is it pointless to attempt to understand and test hypotheses on the origins and influences on Shintogo's swordmaking. No one will truly know of course since there are no contemporary historical documents to consult, but that still shouldn't prevent discussion on the subject.

Exactly. Shipping to UK would be 50 euro

3 gorgeous examples in perfect polish, each exemplifying the deki characteristic of the makers style and their School. I especially love the Yukimitsu with its fine chikei and kinsuji and that midare-utsuri on the Sanenaga is exactly what you hope to see on a koto Bizen Osafune blade. I would be proud to have any of these in my collection.

Working now. And noticed Lex makes a couple of appearances.

And not far from the Samurai Museum Nagoya Touken World. Well worth a detour.

Thanks. An excellent example of the vertical radical for Kuni. The tanto shown shares many of the characteristics commonly found for Shintogo. Mitsu-mune, sugata, uchizori, nakago shape. Even the length of the futasuji-hi horimono is very similar to the koshibi carving on the 1306 and 1308 tanto. Something else I noticed is how the horimono carving on Uwe's tanto extends quite far past the machi and well into the nakago. The 1308 tanto has a similar extension which has had me perplexed but appears to be deliberate based on the Norikuni example. Norikuni's son, Kuniyoshi adopted a similar unique style for kuni although there are many examples of his Mei that are carved in the more traditional way with right slanting central radical. One thing is clear that Shintogo learned from the some of best smiths of the day and the style of his work establishes a connection to the Awataguchi school and, in particular, the individuals who moved from Kyoto to Sagami during the Kamakura era.