oli

Thanks for your explanation, i was confused because the Showa Masayoshi would be the 8th Generation. The 3rd Generation worked until Mejin, let say until 1870 for easier math and the Showa Masayoshi worked till end of war 1945. So this would be 5 Generation in 75 years. So it would be about every 15 years a new Smith Generation. Thanks Oli

I think they are connected , but the Showa Masayoshi moved in another part of the country. Not uncommon, after the end of the shogunate.

Hi Bruce, not sure what you looking for. Maybe he changed the Kanji in Showa times, i am not a Kanji expert. Maybe others could help. I think maybe there is a failure in the book, 7th/8th generation i think a bit too much, the 3rd generation worked until Meiji time period. Regards Oli

Hosokawa is the school name, from Swordsmith from Japan (Markus Sesko): MASAMORI (正守), Bunkyū (文久, 1861-1864), Musashi – “Sakuyō-shi Minamoto Masamori” (作陽士源正守), “Sakuyō bakka-shi Hosokawa Masamori kore o tsukuru” (作陽幕下士細川正守造之, “made by the bakufu retainer Hosokawa Masamori of Mimasaka province”), “Sakushū Tsuyama-hanshi Masamori” (作州津山藩士正守, “Masamori, retainer of the Tsuyama fief of Mimasaka province”), real name Hosokawa Sennosuke (細川仙之助), son of the 2nd gen. Hosokawa Masayoshi (細川正義), he worked from Edo for the Tsuyama fief (津山藩) of Mimasaka province, he is counted as 3rd gen. Masayoshi, we know blades from the Kōka (弘化, 1844-1848) to the Meiji era (明治, 1868-1912), he used the same koku´in seal as Masayoshi, chūjō-saku

Another example of his signature: https://www.nihontocraft.com/Takahashi_Naganobu.htm Also a very nice blade.

Maybe 2 smiths? NAGANOBU (永信), Keiō (慶応, 1865-1868), Izumo – “Naganobu” (永信), real name Takahashi Rihei (高橋利平), it is suspicious that is listed with the homonymic smith and first nam as Takahashi Naganobu who wrote his smith name with the characters (長信) and his first name Rihei with the characters (理兵衛), so maybe this is a double-entry NAGANOBU (長信), Tenpō (天保, 1830-1844), Izumo – “Unshū-jū Fuyuhiro (雲州住冬広), “Unshū Takahashi Naganobu” (雲州高橋長信), “Unshū-han Fujiwara Naganobu” (雲州藩藤原長信), “Un´yō-shi Takahashi Rōshi Fujiwara Naganobu” (雲州藩藤原長信聾司藤原長信), “Tōto ni oite Unshū-jū Takahashi Rihei Fuyuhiro Naganobu” (於東都雲州住高橋理兵衛冬広長信), “Edo Kōjimachi ni oite Unshū-han Takahashi Naganobu kore o saku” (於江都麹街雲州藩高橋長信作之, “made by Takahashi Nahanobu from the Unshū fief [= Matsue fief] in Edo´s Kōjimachi”), “Chōshinsai Fuyuhiro” (長信斎冬広), real name Takahashi Rihei (高橋理兵衛). He had studied under the 4th generation of the Izumo-based Fuyuhiro lineage (冬広) and was eventually adopted into the family whereupon he succeeded as 5th generation Izumo Fuyuhiro, the 17th generation after Wakasa Fuyuhiro (若狭冬広) who was the founder of the Fuyuhiro line. He used the gō Rōshi (聾司) and Chōshinsai (長信斎). By the way, the former gō means literally “the deaf officer. ” In the first year of Tenpō (天保, 1830) he went to Edo to study under Tsunatoshi and made his smith name Naganobu out of the first two characters of his pseudonym Chōshinsai (Naganobu is the Japanese reading of the characters Chōshin). At that time he lived in the Sannō district (山王) of Edo. Later he was hired by the Matsue fief (松江藩) of Izumo province which he signed using the colloquial name “Unshū fief” (雲州藩). With this employment he moved to the Edo residence of the fief which was located in Hirakawa (平河) in the Kōjimachi district – 743 –(麹町). However, in Genji one (元治, 1864) the fief ordered him back to Izumo because of the bakufu campaign against the Chōshū fief where he died on the 20th day of the fifth month of Meiji two (明治, 1869) at the age of 64. His workmanship is similar to Tsunatoshi’s. His blades show a magnificent sugata but he also made smaller blades with western-style refined steels. Most of his works are in the Bizen tradition. The jigane looks soft, the jihada is muji but tends sometimes to masame, and the hamon is a somewhat slanting ko-chōji-midare with hard and dark spots along the yakigashira. But he also applied a suguha or tōran-midare. Because of the gyaku-sujikai yasurime it is assumed that Takahashi Nakanobu was left-handed. Sometimes he signed in kaisho block script (楷書) on the omote and in gyōsho cursive script (行書) on the ura side, but in later years he also signed both sides in cursive or rather grass script. There is the urban legend going round that one of his blades cut through the barrel of a machine gun during World War II. jō-saku nice blades btw!

and i recognise Leen!

Here is an example of Nobotaka Katana: https://eirakudo.shop/182980 Also there is a picture of a Nobotaka Katana in the Book Keicho Shinto from Markus Sesko

Hi Jussi, you have a nice blade and thanks for the work for this kantei. Keicho Shinto is a nice period, i saw some very nice blade with impressive Sugata. Nobutaka is counted as one of the Owari Sansaku (尾張三作), the “Three Owari Masters.” (Keicho-Shinto from Markus Sesko) thanks Oli

Nice blade i like the sugata

here is a rare example of Akihide , which Nakayama Hakudo testet : https://katanahanbai.com/en/katana/kurihara-akihide-2/

here is a nice articel about this topic:

From Seskos book: SADAHIDE (貞秀), Ansei (安政, 1854-1860), Settsu – “Settsu no Kuni Sadahide” (摂津国貞秀), “Sesshū Amagasaki-jū Sugimoto Hironoshin Sadahide” (摂州尼ケ崎杉本広之進貞秀), real name Sugimoto Hironoshin (椙本広之進), he also signed the character for “Sugi” (椙) in the variant (杉), he used the gō Unsenshi (雲仙子) and it is said that he was the son of a certain Kido Yoshizō Unsen (城戸吉蔵雲仙), he came originally from Dewa province where he signed according to tradition with “Ushū Kidō Sadahide” (羽州城戸貞秀), later he moved to Kyōto and became a student of Gassan Sadayoshi (月山貞吉) in Ōsaka, he worked mostly in the style of his master, chūjō-saku would be interesting to have the full translation of the signature

Hi Erik, yes it looks like a real Tanto, but it's in a bad condition to say more. As it is unsigned is also hard to say if a restoration makes sense. Be aware a complete polish and restoration isn't cheap. My guess would be shinshinto period, Regards Oli

the Kondo Isami swords in the book are: Sukeyoshi, Hidekuni, sorry not more

hi, in the book: Japanese Swords and Armor: Masterpieces from Thirty of Japan's Most Famous Samurai Warriors from Paul Martin are some pictures, and yes Hidekuni is the late name of Motooki, regards Oli

As far as i know only his Bokuto survived. But i can ask somebody from his school.

from Markus Sesko's book: KANESAKI (兼先), 9th gen., Bunsei (文政, 1818-1830), Inaba – “Inshū-jū Kanesaki” (因州住兼先), “Inaba Fujiwara Kanesaki saku” (因幡藤原兼先作), “Myōichi Fujiwara Kanesaki” (妙一藤原兼先), “Myōichi Hōsetsu Nyūdō Kanesaki” (妙一峯雪入道兼先), real name Heki Yasaburō (日置矢三郎), student of Minryūshi Toshizane

Hi, i also don´t found much information about the smith. I also was interested in this sword. The only connection to Osaka, i can image could be the Smith Gassan Sadayoshi. The Yoshi Kanji is the same, and Sadayoshi also worked in Bizenden. Maybe ask Matsumoto Touken, maybe in Japanese Publications are maybe more information. And nice sword, congratulations, Regards Oli

Hi, nice, looking forward to. Did it also come in Amazon Kindle shop? thanks Oli

i think you are too strikt, new collectors should be aware to loose money with the first purchases. But this should not end in bankrupt. The only point i agree with is the sword should be in good condition to appreciate it. Beginners should avoid restorations.

Please have a look on this: https://markussesko.com/2015/04/13/kantei-1-sugata-7/

I don‘t see any Problem with the Boshi….

hi, both Wakizashi are healthy, papered and are looking nice. Don't understand why so many are against this purchase. They are in the price range 2000-3000 $ , nether saw an offer that is cheaper or half of the price.

yes this is a katana i think both are good starter swords, both have papers.