Toryu2020

Mamori-gatana koshirae with possible Gassan school tanto holding it together...

Mamori-gatana koshirae with possible Gassan school blade holding it together...

I can hardly add to what Michael has so succinctly said, Nicholas - the blade I posted earlier, which is from the very beginning of Namboku-cho, is ubu signed and dated. As Michael points out there are plenty of ubu Kamakura pieces out there and once you become familiar with sugata, I think you can appreciate the shapes as the Japanese do... -t

Check the for sale forum - I believe David Flynn has a copy for sale right now... -t

Jean - enjoying your comments and I like the points you have made. I would posit that your example of the use of namban tetsu is not a good analogy. We were taught that the amount of namban tetsu used in the famous Yasutsugu swords (for example) was miniscule - just enough to say that he used some as it was a novelty and it added nothing to the overall product. His jigane I think most would see as quite clean and consistent so not a deliberate "damascene" hada. I think Yakumo-gitae or the Shin Ju-go-mai of Omura Kaboku would be better examples of later smiths using mixed metals for effect. Alex - the short answer to the question is "You need a full education in nihonto to appreciate why Kamakura is the best." ( I was told the same thing when I started btw) The long answer is below; Sugata - the shapes produced in this time period are considered best. Later smiths are only trying to recreate them. They may have succeeded in copying the shape but then fail at other features. Jigane - Consistancy is a big deal. Strong clean jigane expressed over the full length of the sword is most appreciated. This is true even when the jigane is larger, wilder patterend but is expressed fully throughout. Later smiths may have been successful at reproducing good jigane but then fail at other features. Hataraki - go to the glossary of any good sword book and there is a long list of features one wants to see in a sword. Read the description of celebrated Kamakura pieces and you can expect to find most of these features mentioned. Later pieces may have lots of hataraki in the ji or in the ha but are lacking in other areas. Hamon - "temperlines" are expressed in more naturalistic ways showing an artlessness that may not always be found in later works. Nakago - a well finished and perfectly aged nakago is a thing of beauty, the simple handwriting of the signature shows the artists origins as a simple craftsmen. Later signatures can be wonderful, but they reflect the education and erudition of the smith, become more like trademarks and are appreciated for different reasons. Few later smiths combine all the best features in a single work, most of the celebrated Kamakura artists consistently hit high marks in all areas in the majority of their works. This in the end is just my poor understanding of how we are to look at these works... -t

Kashu ju Nagatsugu saku - please share pictures of your abumi... -t

Ubu, zaimei, dated 1335, 87.7 cm I'd say that's a fully realized Nanboku-cho shape at a time we'd call "Early Nanboku-cho"... -t

I agree, Sansukumi, I believe Fukushi Sensei says that often you only see two of the subjects or just the snake... -t

Perfect! Thank you!

John - can we see photos "inside the bowl" thanks -t

Look for the thread on "Shachi" and information on "Toryu-mon", I think you will be pleasantly surprised... -t

Curran is right - the Kamakura in Kamakura-bori is from the place name and not the time period. Chinese style, cinnabar lacquered wood carving is a local specialty in Kamakura to this day - the name I believe is a later appellation given the close appearance and likely inspiration from Kamakura style wood carving... -tch

Wow, so one would expect a Seki signature based on that hamon but looks like; Sasshu ju Masachika Just a guess, that last character is indeed hard to read... -t

"Sasa no tsuyu - a body cut with this sword will fall as easily as dew falls from the grass..." -tch

A prolific modern artist and one of the best. I believe Fukushi sensei did a write up on him and Markus translated... -t

Nawa Noren - the drunkards paradise...

Naruki Issei - tsuba for a bokken

Noshu Sakamoto Ju Issei saku Hakogaki - Tetsuji Sukashi Kawari-gata Showa Kinoe Tora 49 11 gatsu hi Noshu Sakamoto ju Issei A terrific piece.

Nice!

Gendai copy of Katchushi tsuba - possibly Yoshihara school...

Shibata Ka - known for wild jigane and marumune... SHIBATA KA – Yakiba.com

Ford Hallam - kisseru and tokkuri my favorite subject and my favorite new bolo tie...

Quite nice - dare we ask what shipping to the U.S. would look like? -t

Kusano Yoshiaki - Meiji period swordmaker