Enju Blade

[paulb]

For a number of years I have rattled on to the point of tedium and beyond about the quality of good Enju swords.

Posted on Aoi Art's site today is a daito which is about as good as I have seen

Again the only reasons this is classified as Enju rather than rai is the slightly O-maru boshi and the utsuri which I am guessing is shirrake rather than  nie-utsuri.

If this were a Rai Kunimitsu it would be considerably more expensive. As it is I think it looks to be a very fine blade

 

https://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2015/15674-2.jpg

 

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Really a very good blade...

[Ray Singer]

I believe that I have mentioned before, but I own a sword which has currently been attributed to Enju but likewise is very similar to Rai. It previously had a Hon'ami Koson kinpunmei to Rai Kunitoshi but a prior owner removed this when submitting for shinsa (after it did not pass as a Rai). Tanobe-sensei even commented on the similarity to Rai in the sayagaki. 

 

但大磨上無銘也 静穏ナル出来口ヲ示シ滋味豊ニ候 概ネ来氣質ナレド大丸帽子トナル点ニ

此派ト可鑑者有之 同派極中屈指ノ優品而地刃健体ナルモ好矣 珍々重々

 

However, it is O-suriage and unsigned. It shows calm workmanship and has its own charm. Although it generally shows Rai characteristics, it can be attributed to this tradition because of its O-maru Boshi. It is the best piece of this tradition, and it is also good that the blade is healthy. It is rare and valuable.

 

BTW, both Enju blades I own have a vivid nie-utsuri.

[paulb]

Hi Ray

Thanks for the information. I have never seen or heard of an example of an Enju blade having nie utsuri, that must make the attribution even more challenging, but it also confirms the closeness to Rai and the quality of the workmanship

I also have an Enju blade which I have written about previously which had it not been for the O-maru boshi would, I think, have been attributed to Rai Kunimitsu

At its best I think Rai work is as good as most and better than may Rai pieces.

[Brian]

The closest I can get is my 1916 Enju Kunitoshi signed "...the 17th generation descendant of Enju Kunimura"
But at least I have my tiny little slice of Enju. And it is beautifully signed...like art.
 

[Darcy]

It's a very fine blade and in good condition. 

 

I think the difference between this and Rai Kunimitsu is more in the Hamon than the boshi. 95% of the time the Rai Kunimitsu will have fine workings and activities all down the blade. A suguba one at first glance you may overlook it, but when you look at it closely you will see this:

 

 

There are those that are more choji midare, but I am talking in this case about those that appear to be suguba. There will be fine nie sprinkled all the way to the ha, and ashi and yo. Sometimes they're not on the oshigata depending on who drew the oshigata... but when you compare to something that is forged finely like this Enju is and you look at the hamon, you see it coming up with tight nioiguchi and very little in the way of any small workings and activities. 

 

The difference is both in the steel itself and in the treatment by the smith. 

 

I think this Enju is an example of some things that I've mentioned before, where it is a really nice blade but just "not quite" Rai so gets put to the next closest thing one rung down. 

 

That said I think it is a really nice piece and if someone was saving money in this buying range, that is a nice set to have at that price point.

[Keiji]

Among all swordsmiths Enju school, Kunisuke was, with its wealth of hataraki, with a characteristic interpretation of the jiba and the presence of nie utsuri, as near to the works of Rai School, in fact reminds the works of Rai Kuniyuki and classic works of Rai Kunimitsu. 

[Jean]

Paul,

 

Some Rai smiths have shirake utsuri. You will find it on Ryokai and even on Rai Kunitoshi blades.

[paulb]

Yes Jean I know

But as with all attributions references tend to talk about the norm. As Ray says some Enju blades have nie utsuri and you point out some rai blades shirrake but the majority of Enju that have utsuri have shirrake and Rai nie.

In nearly ever reference I have read the quoted distinction between the to schools are:

1, Rai Ko-maru boshi nie utsuri

2. Enju shirrake utsuri and O-maru boshi

In some cases they then illustrate examples that show exactly the opposite.

Picking up on Darcy's point. I think his comments are the accepted norm and you would expect to see much more activity within the hamon  in a Rai blade than Enju but there are always exceptions both ways.

I guess that's what keeps it interesting:-)

[Ray Singer]

Here is a reference example of Kunisuke from Token Bijutsu in which the nie-utsuri are described...

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=HtgPBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA453&lpg=PA453&dq=enju+%22nie+utsuri%22&source=bl&ots=apkN7hJQJZ&sig=ZGAWVgs80rzvyWPWBIcuqqxnpqA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwid0baG2JDSAhXMLSYKHTM5AVMQ6AEIKzAF#v=onepage&q=enju%20%22nie%20utsuri%22&f=false

 

 

 

Among all swordsmiths Enju school, Kunisuke was, with its wealth of hataraki, with a characteristic interpretation of the jiba and the presence of nie utsuri, as near to the works of Rai School, in fact reminds the works of Rai Kuniyuki and classic works of Rai Kunimitsu. 

[md02geist]

Beautiful blade.

[Ray Singer]

If possible, I will try to photograph the nie-utsuri in the Enju tanto I own. Like the daito I previously shared, it had a previous attribution to Rai Kunitoshi. The tanto was polished by Kajihara at one point, who also issued papers to Rai Kunitoshi. Purportedly, Dr. Homma felt it was Rai but recommended a better quality of polish if the intent was to resubmit up to Juyo. The tanto was repolished by Ono Kokei, but afterwards received an attribution to Enju. Studying the sword, there is a prominent nijuba which is an Enju trait and I am sure played a part in it's current attribution. 

 

Best regards,

Ray

[Marius]

Like the daito I previously shared, it had a previous attribution to Rai Kunitoshi. The tanto was polished by Kajihara at one point, who also issued papers to Rai Kunitoshi. Purportedly, Dr. Homma felt it was Rai but recommended a better quality of polish if the intent was to resubmit up to Juyo. The tanto was repolished by Ono Kokei, but afterwards received an attribution to Enju. Studying the sword, there is a prominent nijuba which is an Enju trait and I am sure played a part in it's current attribution. 

 

 

 

That's what you get from repeated polish

[Ray Singer]

Ordinarily I would agree with you, but in this case it is not an issue of tiredness but perhaps more of how well the tanto's attributes have been brought out. 

 

 

That's what you get from repeated polish

[Stefan]

I can only say that  i did have the honour to handle an Enju Kunisuke Tachi last year. Fantastic Jigane, vivid Nie-Utsuri as I have seen  years before on a Rai Kunitoshi. The Hamon full with activity, not the simple boaring suguha with some niju. Really a sword to die for. By the way, my jugdement  in Kantei was Rai for this blade ..Ups....

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Enju blades can be terrific and the picking out of the differences between them and Rai shows how high their first glance quality really is. It may be as much their location of making as anything that puts them one step down. One kantei point I think that may have been missed is the prevalence of nijuba in the monouchi/boshi in a high proportion of Enju blades.

 Arnold F.

[Darcy]

I'd like to see that Enju tanto for sure.

 

What's the date of the attribution and what level is the paper now?

[Ray Singer]

Presently Tokubetsu Hozon (kanteisho attached).

 

I'd like to see that Enju tanto for sure.

 

What's the date of the attribution and what level is the paper now?

[Ray Singer]

Long overdue, but a few photos of the Enju tanto referenced above.