SwordGuyJoe Posted October 4, 2016 Report Posted October 4, 2016 All, In the attempt to sell a sword I am consigning with Ed, I am dropping the price on my special order Takano Masataka. It is listed here: http://yakiba.com/Tanto_Takano-Masataka.htm. I have included Ed's write up and a couple pictures below (more on the site). For this limited time, I am discounting the sword to $2,000 Please contact Ed through his site if you're interested. TANTO TAKANO MASATAKA c.1969 SPECIAL ORDER NTHK SUGATA: HIRA ZUKURI MEI: O FUJISAWA ICHII SHI JU MASATAKA SAKU DATE: SHOWA YON JU YON NEN GO GATSU BI NAGASA: 27.3cm (10.75") OVERALL: 38.42cm (15.125") MIHABA: 2.86cm (1.125") KASANE: 0.63cm (0.25") SORI: SLIGHT UCHI-ZORI NAKAGO: UBU MEKUGI ANA: ONE YASURIME: KIRI MUNE: IORI HADA: ITAME HAMON: CHOJI MIDARE BOSHI: KO-MARU HORIMONO OMOTE: NONE HORIMONO URA: NONE HABAKI: 1PC. GOLD FOIL SHIRASAYA Takano Masataka was born in 1891, Takano being his last name. Masataka lived in Omi, Tokyo and was a member of the Ikkansai Mon. His lineage is quite impressive and varied. Masataka was a student of Ikkansai Sakai Shigemasa. Shigemasa was a student of his uncle, Morioka Masayoshi. Masayoshi had studied under both Minamoto Kanenori and the famous Gassan Sadakazu. Masataka became a student of Shigemasa in 1942, but was interrupted by WWII. After the war, Masataka became a student of Hirajima, a well known sword polisher. Masataka became a sword polisher, but in 1961 returned to sword making under his former teacher Shigemasa. He excelled in his teachers signature style of "Bizen". He won awards at the 4th, 5th, and 6th NBTHK Shinsakuto competitions. This tanto is flawless and was forged when Masataka was 78 years old. It was forged in his favorite Bizen style, exhibiting a beautiful Itame hada with ji-nie and chikei. The hamon is of course Choji midare, with some saka choji, lots of ashi and the nioi is very fine and bright. This tanto was a special order, made for Mr. Fujisawa Ichii, which is engraved on the nakago. Tanto comes with NTHK Kantaisho, shirasaya, and storage bag.
Greg F Posted October 4, 2016 Report Posted October 4, 2016 Great deal for a beautiful Bizen style Tanto Joe! Greg
SwordGuyJoe Posted October 4, 2016 Author Report Posted October 4, 2016 Thanks! Unfortunately at this price point, with consignment fees, it will be difficult to donate to the board, but I think Brian can attest that I do and have done my fair share of financial support over the course of the year(s).
SwordGuyJoe Posted October 5, 2016 Author Report Posted October 5, 2016 I received an e-mail from Bob Benson regarding Takano San. He said that I could share. I have posted the sword and discount on FB, though I would much rather it go to a board member, so I will only post this here. Takano Sensei and I were in several magazines and newspapers in the mid 60's as people were interested to read about the gaijin that was studying polishing in Saitama. He was a master and the best polisher in all of Saitama ken and my 1st Teacher Shimura Tansaku Sensei was a friend of his and suggested that I go to him to improve my hand. After the introduction I went to Takano San but kept up my contact with Shimura San. Takano Sensei was fantastic in polishing having been a student of Hirajima( a Yasukuni Shrine polisher). He taught me so much about swords, to include smithy,polishing, habaki and shirasaya making . One day he was just cutting his signature over and over in a large block of metal. Using the Masa (Sei kanji, from ShigeMasa and the Ken kanji from his name of Kenichi. I read it as SEIKEN and said now you have an art name of SEIKEN. and he just smiled saying very good. I never asked what he was reading it as as I never called him anything other than SENSEI. I am not sure if I have any pictures of him at the daigane but I have them of him at the togi ba and the room used for making Shirasaya. People don't know that he would get Sa tetsu from the Tamagawa in the back yard. Make a tanto,habaki,polish, and make the Shirasaya. In polishing he took the dorokusho award in polishing in 1952 ( fifth session)and dorokusho award in Shirasaya that same year. Those that took top awards were ONO KOKEI Sensei and FUJISHIRO MATASUO so he was ranked up very high in his ability. It was his teaching that made it possible for me to also take the Dorokusho award at the 20th polishing contest in 1967. While he did Bizen style his tanto in Soshu style were very good and his Horimono was great.
Brian Posted October 5, 2016 Report Posted October 5, 2016 Thanks to Bob for the permission to post that. Excellent info, wish we had more stories from him about those days.
flo06 Posted October 8, 2016 Report Posted October 8, 2016 Beautiful Tanto for a very reasonable price. For sure a deal not to miss !
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.