Toryu2020

Tom you might try to invest in this book - very likely your smith is covered in here... https://www.kosho.or.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=32241328 -tch

Could this have been an NBTHK national convention display?

JT - There are annual contests for blade making and engraving. The artists are well known. Sometimes older blades are used but most often it is new swords with new engraving. I expect many engravers would welcome the work. You might consider becoming a patron to one such artist and commission a sword and horimono for submission to one of these contests. There is a big caveat - I would think most of these artists would not work for just anybody, you need to be a known entity with an introduction from the right people. This could mean more than one trip to Japan and a demonstrated understanding of the art and the artist. I had occasion to live in Japan a few years and I found for best results it paid for both sides to take their time. Requires a good deal of patience. I would start by looking at the old exhibition catalogues for examples of the engravers work and getting to know makers of modern swords and by extension Horimono-shi... -tch

A quick look up of the lives of the Shinshinto smiths by year...

Tremendous example - very interesting analysis. -t

Exceptional grouping Bryce. -tch

Ron - look up the Five Sacred Mountains - I believe that is what we are seeing here... -tch

nicely put, Brian.

Evan - can we see the inside of the cup? Thanks

John Is the artist alive or dead? Is he recognized? Mukansa or other designation? A traditionally made sword could most likely get a paper. When we say Showato, we mean non-traditionally made most likely from the war years... -t

Ah well, that makes it OK...

All due respect to Mr Bowen this is an NPO paper as suspected, the one true and original NTHK does not paper showa-to... -t

It says "Token Hozon-Kai Kantei-sho" not Nihon To-ken Hozon-Kai I highly doubt this is a true and original NTHK issued paper... -t

We need to see this paper...

Keep in mind that a sword cannot be registered in Japan if it does not have NIE - this would pre-clude most hantan Showa-to. Someone very familiar with this smith decided that it was traditionally made even with the stamp - if the artist is dead that may also be one big factor... -t

I'd be curious to see the papers but they don't pop up with the link? -t

Well - the English speaking expert that we all know says these were a product of Meiji or later - I feel if there is evidence or a definitive answer it exists already in Japanese. I also think the two sides won't agree unless an authoritative voice speaks on the subject (no disrespect to the person mentioned above ) -t

Dan - we need to looking at Japanese websites and talking to Japanese collectors - fiddling around on English websites is not gonna get you a definitive answer... -t

Konotegashiwa is a famous piece where both sides of the sword are done in different style - like the Kashiwa leaf which is bright green on one side and white-ish on the other... -t

interesting

Very nice.

Exceptional.

I'm not sure why it hasn't been posited before - perhaps it has - could these be for Shichi-Go-San? Would fit the size/age of the children - would fit the "Hakamagi-no-gi" the first wearing of hakama - and since they were ceremonial the more toy-like nature of the koshirae in general... Thinking outloud, -t

I do not believe these were ever worn by boys - they were miniatures, perhaps for Tango no sekku display, perhaps kazari tachi for courtiers, perhaps salesmans samples of what could be made to order, perhaps gifts for newborns. At a coming of age ceremony a boy would receive his adult swords - if he were small in stature then he would wear just the wakizashi until he was older. Sasama Sensei contended that if a boy showed up wearing one of these little swords he would receive a beat down from the other boys... -t

Not aware of any books - this may help somewhat... http://toryu-mon.com/Toryu-Mon/Archives/Entries/2010/11/8_Boys_Day_or_Tango_no_Sekku.html -t