Hisayuki/Nagamichi

[Fuuten]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new to this forum, but i've been lurking for a little while. I registered now because in November last year, i decided after years of thinking/dreaming about it to go all in for a true Japanese sword.

 

Eventually i decided on creating a daisho (in antique f/k/menuki/tsuba) but new saya and body. The swords are as follows:

Dai: a tachi by Hisayuki

Sho: a wakizashi by Shodai Nagamichi

 

I'm willing to hear what you guys think of it, of the combination of the 2. And whether or not I spend my savings on something not worth it! Anyway open to any comments/critics.

 

Also see a picture of the 2 swords below.

 

They're certified tokubetsu kicho and tokubetso hozon. And i had the tachi sent to the NTHK-NPO for yushuto examination last year December, which it passed! And I was thinking of trying the Nagamichi this year in December.

 

Nearly all my savings are in this, but its really been like a dream to actually own one or a pair!

 

 

Thank you for viewing,

 

Axel

[John A Stuart]

Welcome Axel. More pictures please. John

[Fuuten]

Hi John,

 

I have a loooot of pictures. Is it Ok to post them all? Also is it OK to say who i got these from? (actually they're not yet at my place, still in the production process for the koshirae). I'll start with the whole swords, and the tang.

 

The Hisayuki;

The Nagamichi (sorry don't have a good photo of the other side of the tang);

 

Axel

 

PS: is there a limit to attachments on this forum?

[Toryu2020]

Axel -

I think the only limit is size - if you want you can point us to a link, like a photobucket account then you dont have to upload all your photos one by one. The Hisayuki looks nice, count me as another hoping to see more...

-t

[John A Stuart]

The swords look pretty good. Some pics showing close-ups of the hamon etc. would be nice. I see no problem mentioning who had taken the pictures if OK with them and there is no limit, within reason. If the pics are outside the limits for the site they will appear as links, as you see has happened. When you receive the koshirae, we will all be curious who it was that did the work. It is nice to know the type of work that is being done by different artisans. John

PS, I hate photo hosting when it isn't necessary. After time the links disappear and the photo record is lost. Also the blasted ads and sometimes joining needed, some sites are dangerous for adware. J

[Fuuten]

Thanks for your interest Thomas!, John!

 

Here are more pictures of the Hisayuki, its such a gorgeous thing. I won't spoil anything else, just watch it:)

[Fuuten]

6 Attachments seems to be the limit. Here's the other half of the first side.

[Jean]

[John A Stuart]

That's a swell way to show the sword in a continuous line. John

[Fuuten]

Haha yeah! I was surprised how well it looked, sorry for the break, i saved several pictures with a different size without starting from a copy, but since the first time i saw the photo's I've been in love with the sword!

 

Also I'm wondering how you (most likely far more experienced on the matter of nihonto) look at a tachi like this one. What kind of terms would you use to describe the hamon, jigane etc. And i just love the look of the nagako, even though its dated to 1860, its form looks so modern it could've been made yesterday!

 

Would love to hear about some of your thoughts:)

 

 

Axel

[runagmc]

I would describe it as midare hamon, nie and sunagashi, maybe some nijuba... nice sword, hopefully the streaks are oil?

[Stephen]

lovely dai and sho, looking forward to the fittings you have selected.

[Fuuten]

Hi Stephen,

 

I had the f/k and menuke ready for both dai and sho. Both were Goto school, with flowers and inlays, or gilding. However about a week and a half ago i heard the Fuchi did not fit the Hisayuki. So i'm back to say 30% again, at that time i was thinking about the sageo And the tsuba were a daisho pair from Kinai Echizen (or the otherway around, excuse me please), design of shiitake mushrooms.

 

I'll add a picture of the tsuba below, they do fit and are ready for the blades!

 

 

Adam, i read your reply, thank you.

 

Exactly which streaks are you referring too? I believe most of the patterns you see would be kinsuji(?) (if i'm wrong please pile on), I don't think its leftover oil from cleaning.

[Stephen]

nice set, would like to see what you had set up even if you cant use them, always a learing process for newbies

[runagmc]

The streaks I was talking about are the faint parallel streaks all over... Either very light scratching from uchiko cleaning, or streaks from oil wiped on/off the blade. Probably the later, so no big deal...

 

Nice swords from all I can see...

 

EDIT-Actually, looking at the first picture in the closeup series of the daito (kassaki pic) it looks like scratches from uchiko, the way it looks going through the yokote into kissaki...

 

Either way, still nice...

[Fuuten]

Hi, thank you for the additional message.

 

I checked the photo's, and there may some light surface scratches, other than the ji continuing differently because of the angle of the kissaki. Also from what i learned from the person whom I'm buying both swords, that Hisayuki was a retainer of the Dai Tokugawa, so i hardly doubt there would be any significant flaws:) (and it passed several shinsa). Also, considering the lifespan and the dating on the obverse side of the nagako states that he was 75 when he made this sword (and he died at 83).

[cabowen]

This is what is being mentioned as scratching:

 

[runagmc]

yes, that's the pic... but sorry for derailing the thread... the swords seem to be very nice and in good condition overall, so...

[Fuuten]

Hi everyone,

 

I just received an update from the seller, with perhaps a very interesting development.

 

Someone in contact with him found a wakizashi by Hisayuki, dated to his 81th year, he gave me the option to exchange the Nagamichi for a matching Hisayuki wakizashi. Any thoughts on how this would affect it as a package? Both works by the same smith.

 

Only thing i would have to check out is how we would handle the new saya thats made for the Nagamichi.

 

Also the wakizashi is in great condition and seller feels confident about it too obtaining Yushuto certification. Please share some thoughts on what you would do if this came up.

[runagmc]

There's not a right answer I think. Since none of the swords were made, or worn, together as daisho originally, personally, I would treat them as individuals, and go on quality/price...

 

It has to be your own decision, since you want to make a newly put together daisho, which 2 swords you would like to do it with...IMO

 

All other things equal (price, quality, etc.), the 2 by the same smith might have a better chance when reselling as a "new" daisho...

[cabowen]

I agree with Adam- it's a personal decision. If it were mine to make, I would lean towards a pair of blades by the same smith.

[Fuuten]

I know its a matter of preference. Some people might see any pair of swords as a daisho, others might go for a single smiths work. I was simply interested in what others might do:)

 

To be honest, i don't have any preference towards either a wakizashi by Hisayuki, or Nagamichi. I think both were excellent smiths. Both are more or less the same rating by Fujishiro. Difference would be late edo wakizashi or a shinshinto (besides crafting skills).

 

I think i'm going to take a few days to consider al pros and cons, and also what i'm looking for.

 

Edit: however since this is for a dream as much as an investment. So i might go for what for the unknown future might serve best.

 

Edit 2: See menuki for the daisho below:), Goto school.

[Fuuten]

Time for an update!

 

As i received the option to exchange the Nagamichi wakizashi, for a o-wakizashi by Hisayuki that is what i went with. Its a gorgeous piece as well with much activity.

 

I'll add photo's later, but for now, we're looking for a daisho F/K set that will fit the tachi, because the Goto school daisho set we found ended up not fitting. Also i was very lucky to have a considerate seller, who ended up selling the Nagamichi wakizashi + the saya that already was into the lacquer stages like the completed ishime saya for the tachi:)

 

So all in all, not ready yet, but I'm getting there.