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Tom Darling

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  11. Top 10 Swordsmiths In Japanese History

    in General Nihonto Related Discussion

    Posted

    On 5/22/2022 at 3:25 AM, Jussi Ekholm said:

    Unfortunately I do not yet have Dmitrys book but I hope to get it in the future.

     

    Of course dated items of this era are pretty rare outside Bizen. Here are items of these smiths that I have personal references for.

    - Norishige e.1314 l.1320 (there is one dated 1321 but it appears the Norishige signature on it is gimei but date is genuine)

    - Kunimitsu e.1294 l.1324

    - Yukimitsu 0 dated ones (BUT there is older Sagami smith named Yukimitsu. Tokyo Fuji Museum has a tachi dated 1271. They refer him as 藤源次行光, perhaps he is the Yukimitsu for which "the Kotō Mei Zukushi Taizen says that he was born in the first year of Shōji (正治, 1199) and that he died in Kōan three (弘安, 1280) at the age of 83 but this would make him 50 years older than his master and it would also mean that he died before Kunimitsu had even matured his studies and brought forth what became later the Sōshū tradition" [quote from Seskos Index]

    - for Sa I only have 1339 dated ones

    - It gets bit tricky in Mino, as only dated Kaneuji items I have are signed with (包氏) and I would think it connects to Yamato e.date is unclear but from 1356-1361 l.1362, for Kinjū I only have 1369 dated item. However there is Mino smith Kanetsugu (兼次) from whom there is 1350 dated item surviving.

    - Hiromitsu e.1352 l.1364

    - Akihiro e.1357 l.1392

    - Nobukuni e.1358 can't really say latest as several generations

    - Hasebe Kunishige e.1349 l.1368

    - For Takagi Sadamune I have 0 dated ones.

    Jussi,  your picks are exceptionally great.    Same goes with all others,  great picks.

    Here are numbers I currently have for signed Ichimonji long swords (I counted quickly so there might be a naginata or 2 in the mix).

    298 signed with smith name - 90 signed with just Ichi (when I some day get all the Jūyō books those numbers should go to 354 and 105 just from Jūyō items I still currently miss).

     

    This is very fun discussion even though it must be boring for some.

     

  12. Great Finds on Ebay

    in Nihonto

    Posted

    On 2/27/2022 at 6:42 PM, waljamada said:

    Would love to hear about the great finds too...hope more stories/examples come out of the woodwork.

     

    I bought the vast majority of my blades off ebay and I consider myself to have done well with the blades and what I paid.  So I had some "great to me" finds but nothing that would make a dent in the Nihonto world at large which is the kinds of stories I believe you're looking for. 

     

    I'd even love to hear some garage sale great finds.  I would wager most of those tales would come from the 60's, 70's and 80's with a substantial taper down throughout the 90's and finally into the near nothings in the 2000's. 

     

    Always described ebay as the world's largest garage sale and I actually would find those stories even more intriguing as it'sso very public, open to so many other knowledgeable buyers; if you got one that way, even more power to you!  

     

    I read many years ago in the Token Society of Great Britain ,that a kokuho was bought out of Michigan at a garage sale for $60.00 and sold for over $100,000. Maybe someone can produce the kaji, as I forgot.

    On 2/27/2022 at 6:42 PM, waljamada said:

    Would love to hear about the great finds too...hope more stories/examples come out of the woodwork.

     

    I bought the vast majority of my blades off ebay and I consider myself to have done well with the blades and what I paid.  So I had some "great to me" finds but nothing that would make a dent in the Nihonto world at large which is the kinds of stories I believe you're looking for. 

     

    I'd even love to hear some garage sale great finds.  I would wager most of those tales would come from the 60's, 70's and 80's with a substantial taper down throughout the 90's and finally into the near nothings in the 2000's. 

     

    Always described ebay as the world's largest garage sale and I actually would find those stories even more intriguing as it'sso very public, open to so many other knowledgeable buyers; if you got one that way, even more power to you!  

     

  15. Kantei is easy

    in Nihonto

    Posted

    On 2/6/2022 at 12:36 PM, Rivkin said:

    I have Oei or at least early Muromachi signed Kanekiyo. Itame dominated, except for nagare and some masame in shinogi-ji. Seen a dozen of Nambokucho examples, though all mumei - pretty similar. His attribution is not liked because the tempering is also not in a strong nie, it almost crosses into nioi. This being said I have seen later Tegai blades of almost any appearance getting Kanekiyo papers, including strongly masame-influenced ones.

     

    Re:Tanobe versus shinsa opinions, my observation is that they are as of now completely divorced. Unfortunately he does not issue sayagaki to most people pre-shinsa, in order to not create a lot of contradictions, but all six of his opinions that I personally solicited in the past 2 years were all opposite of shinsa. Shinsa being on a very conservative side. Hosho (close to the top of Yamato attributions) versus Kanekiyo (sorry to say - the bottom of Yamato) is an example of such.

    My experience outside of nihonto was always that the practice of issuing paper corrupts. One either becomes very liberal, attracting a lot of money, or very conservative, thus enjoying the reputation of someone who "really knows", after gimei-ing blades approved by others.

     

    Both NTHK groups now also changed their leading actors and my experience so far was already more negative.

    You Nailed it.

    On 2/6/2022 at 12:36 PM, Rivkin said:

     

     

     

  18. Finds Of The Century

    in Nihonto

    Posted

    There was another kokuho that was bought at a garage sale for $60.00 out of Michigan 40 yrs ago. It was mentioned in The To-Ken Society of Great Britain by Clive Sinclaire?

    I believe it was a tachi, but the name escapes me. 

  19. Finds Of The Century

    in Nihonto

    Posted

    Hi Ray,  I understand.  Just asking of sword names, not owners.  I remember a few more,  Kotetsu stout Wakizashi, horimono both sides O'kissaki. Iyetsugu NT out of San Diego, Enju Kunitomo, Kiyomaru out of the midwest, SA, 1st gen.Nanki Shigekuni, several Ichimonji, early Tegai Kanenaga. Sadamune, Tadatsuna 2nd, Naotane, Tadayoshi. Tadahiro, 1st,2nd 3rd 4th 8th gen. Kuinmune.  Several Great swords came out of Fl. Texas, Calif. Mass. Ny. etc. Can Europe, UK and Japan add to this list, only names of swords you heard of, not their owners.  That's all.

     

    Best regards,

     

    Tom

  20. Finds Of The Century

    in Nihonto

    Posted

    If you know of any Great Swords that came out of the wood work in the last 50 years,do tell.  It would be a welcomed edition to our hobby, knowing about them. Collectors in Japan may know best.  Collectors of the S.F. Chicago, Florida Sword Shows can add light to the list. 

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