Mino Zenjo Help

[Mark S.]

At the recent Chicago show, I was given some advice from several people on a mumei wakizashi I purchased a while back.  One of the more interesting attributions I was encouraged to investigate was the Mino Seki Zenjo (Zenjyo?) school, Muromachi Era.  I have read several different references to two Mino schools (Zenjo - Kaneyoshi seems to be the prominent smith - and the Kanesada school) that identify a very tight distinct nioi-guchi suguha along with a single small ‘bump’ of fuschi or midare (irregularity) somewhere in the suguha… and it was ONE (of several) of the kantei points that was pointed out to me as the reason the person gave me their attribution.  Personally, I never would have noticed it without this person’s expert advice and appreciate the time taken to inspect the blade long enough to find it. 

 

Due to the state of polish and my poor photo skills, activity is difficult to capture.  However, I managed to capture the ‘‘bump’ of fuschi or midare (irregularity) on a scan of the blade.  To make it easier to find, I highlighted the area in red on the bottom copy in one of the attached pics.

 

In an effort to learn more (I am not doubting the advice given to me about steering more toward the Zenjo attribution), I was just wondering if anyone has any additional information about this kantei point, the schools, or smiths.  I do realize that a shinsa may only give a general “Mino Seki” attribution to the blade… and at best possibly a “Den” attribution to one of the schools, and probably not a particular smith, but I’m just interested if there is any more info out there that might help narrow things down a bit, or if others have blades with similar properties.

 

Wakizashi Information

 

Nagasa: 17-5/8”

Sori: 3/8”

Kissaki: 1-3/16”

Nakago: 6-1/2” Ubu or slightly suriage, kiri-jiri, kiri yasurime   

Mekugi-ana: 1

Hamon: Very tight distinct nioi-guchi suguha.  About 4” from the tip of the kissaki along the suguha there is a single small ‘bump’ of fuschi or midare? (irregularity). 

Hada: very fine grain - masame?  Difficult to see and photograph due to state of polish. Some masame-hada (I believe) appears in the shinogi-ji

Boshi:  Hakikake or kaen?

 

 

Thanks,

Mark S.

[Mark S.]

More pics

[nihonto1001]

 

Commentary From Tsuneishi, forwarded by NTHK:

 

Among the many Mino smiths, Zenjo Kaneyoshi is known for a very well-made sugata and beautiful workmanship. At first glance, one is reminded of the best quality Awataguchi works from Kyoto. On blades with regular Kyo-zori, the mihaba is a little bit thinner with a ko-kissaki and a feeling of a top quality sugata. He executed nioi-deki suguha: tight, thin nioi-deki suguha. The boshi looks like a usual Seki work: midare-komi, Oh-maru feeling with a shallow or short kaeri. Works with deep kaeri or kaku-tome kaeri are not seen. There are no works where there are significant activity of nie and nioi in the ha, which is in contrast to he Awataguchi school.

 

In addition, he made works of Oe Bizen style with suguha. However, Oe Bizen suguha works feature yakihaba that is wider and the hasuji becomes smoky. Zenjo’s suguha, on the other hand, is a very tight nioi-guchi suguha. This is a kantei point. This is his specialty. His jihada is mokume-hada, tight and beautiful, and like other Mino works, has a black hue. Masame-hada does not appear in the ji; if it appears, which is rare, it is seen in the shinogi-ji.

 

The Zenjo school – it is said that this group came from the Yamato Tegai smiths; first generation Kaneyoshi was a Yamato Tegai maker who signed Kaneyoshi (包吉). His given name was Seijiro, and having been a believer of the Hokke sect of Buddhism, had a Buddhist name of Zenjo(Zenryo) and belonged to …..temple that was located in the western part of Seki which at some point relocated to the center of Seki later. Among the mino-mono, his has the most beautiful sugata and has a very strong Yamato den influence.

 

According to the Nihonto Meikan there are then at least 9 generations of Kaneyoshi smiths until the Bakumatsu period and the last Kaneyoshi who would become one of the men who sewed the seeds for modern sword-making.

[nihonto1001]

The fuschi is also a kantei point for Nosada, AKA. 2nd Generation Kanesada.  This would be a much more desireable attribution.  He is considered one of the top smiths of the Muromachi Period.

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Many considerations would have to fall in place for it to be called Zenjo and the bump is a well known kantei point, however I believe it is a bump, like a small abrupt mound, and not a gradual swell as the image seems to depict. I could be wrong of course and in all such situations a shinsa is called for.

 Arnold F

[Darcy]

I think if you look up Kanesada in Nagayama he illustrates what it looks like... I vaguely recall. More like a bean in the hamon.

[Mark S.]

All,

Thank you for the info so far and I will continue the research. Missed the last Chicago shinsa 2 shows ago... can't wait for the next one.

 

N1001, the write up you gave me was from the Zenjo Kaneyoshi Uchigatana info I saw on line as well. Thank you. It was one of the references I read with great interest.

 

Until the next shinsa I was just looking for more info. I've never seen what a typical 'fuschi knot / bump' looks like in person, so I am going off the person's knowledge that looked at the blade as well as what I can find on line and in my books.

 

I thank you all for your input.

 

Mark S.

[Mark S.]

All,

Just updating this a bit.  Finally took a few photos that capture the activity I was asking about before.  A small red line in each pic highlights the location.  Most of the blade is suguha with a very tight nioi-deki, except at this one point.  Upon closer inspection, it looks like two very small darker oval areas side by side surrounded by nioi.  Is there a name for this activity?  Still have not found a good pic of fuschi, so I am not sure if this is it, or would it simply be referred to as midare?  The first pic just gives an overview of the suguha hamon.  The second two highlight the activity.

Thanks,

Mark S.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Based on a similar experience, you see my 1st promising sword was a Zenjo, too, at least according to most everyone that looked at it, once polished not only wasn't it a Zenjo, it wasn't even a Mino blade, and the prominent single 'pea' on suguha that brought out call after call of Zenjo all but disappeared. From what I'm seeing in these images I strongly suspect with a "good polish" this sword might hold a few surprises as well. The interesting boshi from what can be seen offers intrigue.  

Edited February 8, 2017 by nagamaki - Franco