Are there sources for mei for togishi

[bullpuppy]

I read that some togishi may mark their work. How is this done and are there books on these marks. I am attaching a photo that claims to be such a mark.

[mike yeon]

I've never seen a nagashi that looked like that. Usually there are lines parallel to the mune. For example, 9 lines on one side and 11 on the other (odd #s) might mean it was polished by a togishi trained in the honami tradition.

 

Never seen anything that would resemble a character. But that certainly does not mean that its not out there.

 

Here's a pict of nagashi from nihontocraft.com (excellent site)

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Sometimes you can find the same on the Mune near the Kissaki too.

Hon'nami is said to sign with 6 lines :

 

 

Never seen a Kanjii as signature, me too.

But there are so many things I've never seen...

[mike yeon]

Hey Carlo,

 

Wanted to say hi since I joined and saw you here. It's mike from the other forum.

 

Anyway, I could have swore I read somewhere honami signed 9 on one side and 11 on the other. or some other odd number lines. Fujishiro signed like 5 and 7?

 

mike

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Hey Carlo,

 

Wanted to say hi since I joined and saw you here. It's mike from the other forum.

 

Anyway, I could have swore I read somewhere honami signed 9 on one side and 11 on the other. or some other odd number lines. Fujishiro signed like 5 and 7?

 

mike

 

Hi Mike. Glad to have you here. Both of us are right.

9/11 under the Habaki, 6 on the Mune near the Kissaki.

:D

it's supposed Fujishiro's school signes a couple line less. But I'm not sure.

[mike yeon]

gotcha. Thanks Carlo, I wasn't thinking about the mune...

 

Also, don't you think that there's something wrong with the munemachi in the pict? Like there is none? Maybe itis tired?

 

mike

[mike yeon]

Tim, any other picts of the blade itself?

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

there's something wrong with the munemachi in the pict? Like there is none?

 

Seems to me too...

[bullpuppy]

Thanks for the feed back, just what I am looking for. The pictures are horrible but it's the best that I can do at the moment.

[Stephen]

uncommon for togi to sign in his polish mark I have one somewhere in file ill see if I can find it. Tim i very seldom check my pm's so if you need to contact me use my email address h2obro1@aol.com

[Stephen]

found it

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Great... Do you know who is him and the school which he belong to ?

[bullpuppy]

I wonder if he is a famous polisher. I would think that the well know polishers would want to leave a mark.

 

 

 

Stephen - Thanks for your email address. I was looking at a sword and wanted your input without posting and competing with everyone. It was sold however.

[Mike]

The common ways to sign for a togi is by making decorative burnishing on shinogiji near the nakago and on the mune, near the kissaki (in fact the lines usually stops above the yokote point). This stage on polishing process is called kesho migaki. It said that hon'ami school togi sign with alternating thick and thin lines on the shinogiji.

I have seen very few swords with togi kanji but it is uncommomn and mostly on blade from late 19c to showa era

Mike

[Stephen]

about sword with kanji in the toji mark being from Gendai era...but i have seen more than few so ill have to stick with what i said Not totally uncommon, C & T im not sure what the kanji is, someone should be able to translate it maybe Nobody.

[trygve]

Hello!

 

I have seen a few with the polishers mei under the habaki. Its not common, but some polishers do it if they are pleased with the result.

I have a Mizuta Bichu "kunishige" katana with polisher inscription and burnishing lines under the habaki.

 

trygve

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Hello!

 

I have seen a few with the polishers mei under the habaki. Its not common, but some polishers do it if they are pleased with the result.

I have a Mizuta Bichu "kunishige" katana with polisher inscription and burnishing lines under the habaki.

 

trygve

 

Can I ask who is/was the polisher and which school he belongs to ?

[Ed]

Here is one other example.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Here is one other example.

 

7 strips. Fujishiro's school ?

[trygve]

Hello!

 

I have seen a few with the polishers mei under the habaki. Its not common, but some polishers do it if they are pleased with the result.

I have a Mizuta Bichu "kunishige" katana with polisher inscription and burnishing lines under the habaki.

 

trygve

 

Can I ask who is/was the polisher and which school he belongs to ?

 

Hi Carlo!

 

I have not translated the polishers mei yet. Its been a while since I studied this blade and dont remeber if I did translate it back then. The polish is very nice.

 

I have a photo of it on this link.

http://home.online.no/~kjoklepp

[Brian Pedersen]

Sirs

 

I have been reading the posts about the lines on the mune and shinogiji, i i might have some more information that might help.

 

The honami school always uses an uneven number of lines and the fujishiro school uses an even number.

 

I normaly put 3 lines in on each side of the yori and 7 or 11 lines on the shnogiji, though that dependes on the width of the shinogiji.

The width of the lines are in my case even, though some polisheres do use

a mix of thik and thin lines, it is a matter of how you was taught and your own style.

 

As for signing with name, none of the polishers i know do that, it might have been more commen in the showa period, but as far as i have seen no one uses it today.

As my teacher told me, if your work is good enough then there are no reason to sign with your name, your work will speak for itself.

 

I hope this post might have been of some help.

 

Regards

Brian Pedersen

[Brian]

Mr Pedersen,

 

Thank you for those comments. I couldn't help but notice that you list your location as Japan, and your occupation as polisher.

I am sure I speak for everyone here when I say it is very interesting to have a Tôgishi on the forum, and if you are willing...I am sure we would love to hear a bit about your background etc.

Are you currently apprenticed to one of the known togishi, and how long have you been studying in Japan?

Would be great to get more insight into the world of polishing in Japan..especially from a Western point of view.

 

Regards,

Brian