Horii Toshihide mei

[Ron STL]

This gunto mounted katana signed: Toshihide saku and dated 1939 was brought over for study this weekend. While the sword does look as it should for Horii Toshihide, I am concerned (puzzled) by the way the character "Hide" is made. All other book examples found, "Hide" is carved more compact or pulled together, let's say. It would be interesting to read your thoughts on the mei. The sword is a WWII bring-back. I recall Chris telling be me before that there are superior works by Toshihide but also lesser swords that were made to fill the demands for swords during the war. I wonder if this might be one of them? Again, all comments welcomed.

Ron STL

[cabowen]

Mei is fine Ron.....there is indeed a bit of variation over the years with his mei. Later works like this were made for the military and are usually not quite the quality one sees in his earlier work. Also, many of these later works are most likely made with a lot of input from his students. Still, a nice looking sword.

[Ron STL]

Thanks Chris, that's good news. Appreciate the imput. Ron STL

[w.y.chan]

Are Hideaki blades from the battleship Mikasa considered blades he made for the military?

I cant confirm were the original sources were but it was suggested that the Mikasa blades was a business Horii Toshihide use to pay off a debt through mass production.

[cabowen]

My understanding is that the Mikasa blades were made under contract from the Navy or some group associated in some way with the Navy. They were made by the hundreds and while not strictly mass produced, they were made in a rather assembly line fashion with considerable help from the deshi in the Horii forge. One sees a rather wider variety of mei. I have yet to see one I would call poorly made but they weren't made to the same level as his regular work.

[w.y.chan]

Thanks Chris. There were a few special order Mikasa blades that were indeed superior to the rest, you could say they are as good as any of Toshihide's best work but these are likely exceptions

http://ohmura-study.net/204.html

Most does'nt look anything remotely approaching the standard of the katana above.

Mikasa blades in general never really got me excited from an artistic point of view but it has a place as a piece of militaria.

 

BTW I believe this book is out of print long ago, a must have if you collect Horii blades

http://bbs.findart.com.cn/811795.html

[cabowen]

As mentioned in Omura san's explanation, the tanto were made in two grades. That would account for the variation in quality seen as well.