Ludolf Richter

There is no Hidetoshi to be found in the 20th century besides Kanesaki Hidetoshi,born in 1944 (Tokuno p.522,Gendai Token Meikan p.132).Under "XIV Other" Chris Bowen mentions a Hidetoshi without further data,who was working at Tokyo.See the link below.Ludolf http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/tokyosmi.htm

Hi John,I strongly believe that the Mei of your sword is a -poor made-Gimei.Even Kajihei (I own the two vol.books about him) faked much better.The Mei was definitely not made by one of the first 4 generations:I have looked at dozens of examples in my books.Hawley lists a 5th gen.one (KUN 366),with no pics in my books.However he would have used the Kiku-mon ahead of his Mei.When the Shodai got the Daijo title in 1627 he was also made "Imperial Swordsmith" with the permission to use the (imperial) Kiku-mon on his swords.From that time on,there is no sword from him and his successors to be found without the Kiku (alone or followed by "ichi").Ludolf

As I already have told Martin with a personal message,Hawley was totally wrong.I guess,a combination of YOS 1673 and YOS 1674 seems to be the Shodai,while the Nidai is definitely YOS 1668,who was asked by the Hojo to Sagami,where he worked at Odawara.He is also called Odawara Soshu Yoshisuke.He worked in different styles,but seemed to have preferred the Mino Den.The Sandai is probably Hawley's YOS 1675 (and the 4th gen.YOS 1676).My theory with a possible Daimei results from the fact,that the NBTHK people couldn't attach the Mei to one of the above masters.They should however have said e.g.,this Tanto was not made by the Shodai and Nidai (because their styles are quite unique :look at the pics/oshigata and the descriptions in NBTK- Yoshu to Zuroku,vol.I and III).Ludolf

It's from KAN 1563 aka KAN 2038 (Kanesada).Ludolf

Thanks Moriyama san!I had the 2 pics (together with the Shodai ones) taken from my signature database,where I had forgotten to add "Nidai".It shouldn't have happened!I have now corrected the following pic and added your 2 examples.Ludolf

Sorry with my image:here comes the correct one.Ludolf

Hi,I have put together some Shoshinmei with your pic's Mei.My opinion tends to Gimei but others may believe its genuine.Ludolf

I have a very similar one.Ludolf

The Kao of your Kozuka is to be found on page 496 of the Kinko Meikan (lower left) or (the same one) in the newer edition (Shin-san Kinko Meikan) on page 406,only in connection with his Go "Mitsumori".I couldn't find an example with his Go "Keijo".Ludolf

Hi Ford,I believe there is no reason or indication to believe that the Mei was entered by someone on demand by an owner at a later date.If this was true,the owner wouldn't have ordered the Mei on the "wrong" side of the Tsuba!Hopefully Bob will get it papered and tell us the outcome!Ludolf PS.My Christian name is Ludolf and not Rudolf (or Ludolph).One ancestor from my mother's side in the 15th Century was in fact a Ludolph (de Oevestvelde),a later Ludolf (von Obstfelder).There are 2 "Ludolf" saints in the Roman Catholic Church.The meaning of the name is "people's wolf",whatever that means!

Hi Bob,a very fine-masterly- Tsuba!When looking on Mei examples of this artist (pers.name Hagiya Yasuke from Mito/Hitachi,1804-1886),e.g.Annex to Shinkishi Hara (1932) no.162,Kokubo/Shin-san Kinko Meikan p.58 or The Baur Collection D1062,Your Mei plus Kao may in fact be made by him.But there was no examle to be found,where he omitted "Seiryoken".We already had the discussion about Atomei in the Tosogu field:there is still no proof to be found in the books that -other than with sword forging- an Atomei was used with unsigned pieces. Mei: -Shoshinmei:the Mei was made by the stated master -the Mei was made by a disciple under supervision by the master (e.g."Soten-School") whether the piece was made by the master himself or a pupil -a later GOTO-master made a statement that this very piece was made by an earlier Goto-master -Gimei Ludolf PS.If this would be an Atomei,no Kao would have been added to the Go

Hi Paul,the Go reads Hidetoshi.There are 5 in the Haynes Index (H01190-01194):probably H01192 (Shinkishi Hara and Joly as "Hidenaga" !?).Haynes has used the modern Kanji for "toshi".I have not yet tried to translate the first 2 Kanji.Ludolf

My guess would be "Munemura".There is only one in the Haynes Index:H06158 from the Umetada family and no further data.Ludolf

The left side reads Kinai.You can get some information on the many Kinai generations from the following site.Ludolf http://www.users.on.net/~coxm/9.%20tsuba%20iii.html

Hi,"Miboku" was a Go sometimes used by several Hamano artists.The first was Hamano Masayuki (1696-1769),the founder of the Hamano school.Why Haynes has put him as Shozui (H08803) only and not as Masayuki (from the Kanji both names are possible) as nearly every other author does,shall be his secret! He used it alone or in combination with Otsuriuken.His son Masayoshi who died,when his father was still alive,is said to have used Miboku too.After the death of Masayoshi he adopted his pupil Kaneyuki,who became the 2nd hereditery Hamano master.He also used Miboku or Otsuriuken Miboku.According to the books,2 Hamano artists of the 19th century did the same:Masanobu and Masayoshi. I have checked your Mei but was unable to find a match.It's definitely not from the Hamano founder:nearly every Tsuba without papers is faked.Ludolf

Hi James,I have checked lots of his Mei.My conclusion: 1.I believe the Mei was chiselled by the Sandai:get the sword papered 2.Your sword was made in 1661 or 1662 (Kanbun 1,when he got his Kami-title, or 2).In Kanbun 3 (or probably in Kanbun 2) he changed the following strokes (the pic is showing your Mei!): (1) Up till than the 2 vertical strokes of the 1st Mutsu-Kanji had been cutting through the horizontal line,later they were put below the horizontal line. (2)The stoke on the right side below of "Tada" was cut downwards like with your Mei.From Kanbun 3 this stoke was horizontal or even slightely upwards. (3)On top of the 2nd part of "Mutsu" he added a small horizontal stroke. (4)For that stroke I couldn't find any example:a faker would't have made such a stroke. From your pics I couldn't detect the following feature,which is typical for him (may be not yet when he made your sword at an age of 24 or 25!):his Ashi are long and thick Choji-Ashi,which look like the teeth of comb,called Kushi no ha Choji. Congratulations!Ludolf

Hi Paul,I own the 2 vols.of Ikeda.Kajihei Oshigata with hundreds of Oshigata on more than 600 pages with the faked Mei plus the Shoshinmei.He is commonly believed to be an ill-famed faker.It goes without saying that he did this to make his living but other than some of his contemporary swordsmiths,like even Kiyomaro,he did it on large scale.I found no examples as (his real name) Hosoda Heijiro Naomitsu.Ludolf

There are authors who believe that certain students of a school had been allowed to use their master's mei on their pieces,e.g.the students of the later Soten-masters:Gimei or not Gimei!?Ludolf

Hi Bob,the Mei (in Sosho/grass writing) reads Nagatsune.Minamoto Ichinomya Nagatsune (with Daijo and Kami honory title like a swordsmith!) was one of the top Tsuba artists of his time.He lived and worked from 1722-1787 at Kyoto.The characters of your Mei are a little bit different from his Mei:your Tsuba was either made by one of his many followers or is faked with Gimei.Ludolf

An attribution to a third class tsubako makes no sense,esp.without his family name (Shoami/Ito/Inoue/Haruta/Kaneko/Ki/Okabe/Okamoto and others with these Masanobu Kanji),when there are several artists with that very name.There are no examples in the literature,where someone inserted a name on an unsigned Tsuba other than for faking purposes!Different from that question are the Goto classifications,when a later Goto master made a statement on a Tsuba with his name,that this Tsuba was made by a specific earlier Goto master.Ludolf

I have some doubt about an attribution.Yogoro,are the 2 characters and the Kao carved and filled with golden/yellow colour or are they only painted?Ludolf

Hi,I couldn't find this Kao in my books (Joly,Kinko Meikan,Baur Coll.,...).I found a note about Nr.264 (in red on the Tsuba) of the Fahrenhorst Collection with both Mei and Kao in gold.This Tsuba (motif:different leafs) was sold in 1968 at Lempertz/Cologne/Auction Nr.500.I do have no pic.Ludolf

There is an auction at Czernys at Sazara/Tuscanny/Italy with some fine pieces between Nr.176 and 243,this time without Tsuba.Here are some of the best ones: 210 Daisho with estimate Euro 4800-6000,both blades Mumei (no Gimei risk!) 212 Katana with estimate Euro 1800-2500.Mei "Esshu ju Simosaka Masakuni", Shodai and Nidai Masakuni from Echizen possible (MAS 1754/1755) 221 Wakiz. with estimate Euro 2800-3200,Shirasaya,Mei Iyeyoshi,16th Cent. 230 Tanto with estimate Euro 400-500,the Mei is not given In the past I have made some fine purchases with Czernys.Ludolf http://www.czernys.com/auctions_lot.php ... ubmit=view

Thanks Rich!Are these Tsuba repicas oder something like "Shinsaku-Tsuba"?I believe,the owner of that Ebay-Tsuba will not sell it for such a price!Ludolf

Hi Steve, I have a very similar Tsuba with fine patina.It is from an old pre WWII collection.The owner believed it to be a Yagyo-Tsuba,displaying a Kuruma (wheel) or even a Omigoruma (devil's wheel).The pic is not good:there had been to much light.Ludolf