What have I got here?

[Tom Darling]

This was long katana I missed out on a long time ago (1971) and still don't know who made it. Would it rate on the horror stories list?   Thank you.

[uwe]

Sry, can’t open the pics Tom....

[Surfson]

Me neither

[Tom Darling]

Why is that?

 

 

Tom D.

 

 

I'll try again later, today. 

[Ray Singer]

Photo attached.

 

[Tom Darling]

Ray, I appreciate it. Thank you..

 

 

Tom D.

[Ken-Hawaii]

That usually happens when the resolution is very high. If you have Photoshop, just use the Save for Web function to cut down on file size.

[Tom Darling]

Thanks Ken. 

[Tanto54]

Hi Tom,

 

I believe that this is Bonji (sanskrit) for Senju Kannon (the thousand armed Buddhist deity symbolizing compassion - avalokiteshvara).  Senju Kannon is the protector of Japanese born in the year of the rat.

[Tom Darling]

Hi George,

 

The bonji is always placed on the blade, never seen on nakago, not that it's impossible. Kaji signs the nakago. Perhaps you have answered my query, "Yamato Senju-in"  maybe the guy?  Heian??  Thanks.

 

Tom D.

[Ray Singer]

Example of a bonji originally placed on a nakago. Kokuho Nagamitsu.

 

[uwe]

Other possibility would be “Amida Nyorai”

 

 

But the character is badly carved.....?!

[Tom Darling]

I consider Bonji, horimono. The mei? doesn't appear to be keen as mustard.

 

 

Tom D.

[Tanto54]

Dear Tom,

 

I think that Ray and Uwe got it (the correct Bonji character).  As Ray said, Bonji are also seen on nakago and Bonji are simply written characters (not just for horimono). 

[Tom Darling]

Come to think of it, I've never seen a Bonji  on the blade of a Naginata. I would love to see one. The Bonji (aesthetically appealing) on the nakago was applied at a later date for lack of space. The old  mei on the tachi, done in a way that does not show a lot (contrary to bonji character) of skill and placed were it belongs, Is there a photo of this mei Yamato Senju -in?  Thank you. Peace.

 

Tom D.

[Ray Singer]

Bonji do appear within the blade of naginata. I am attaching a photo of a Nobukuni naginata (naginatanaoshi) from my collection. A bonji would not be placed on the nakago for reasons of lacking space. In the case of the Kokuho Nagamitsu naginata, the bonji on the nakago is believed to be contemporary with the blade and not added later.

 

Yamato Senjuin smiths did not generally sign 'Senjuin'. Regardless, that mei would read 千手院.

[Tom Darling]

Ray,

 

They are actually the two Naginatas,  I've ever seen.with Bonji  Quite possibly the Nagamitsu bonji was executed properly. I would like to see just one more, anybody.  It is just amazing what you can learn on NMB.  Thank you.

 

 

Tom D.       

[Jussi Ekholm]

Here are the old naoshi with elaborate horimono that I have in my books. Unfortunately I don't have documented yet any old naginata with elaborate horimono.

 

1st Meibutsu Honebami Tōshirō

2nd Nobukuni from Jūyō 12

3rd Chikakage from Jūyō 17

4th Tanshū Kunimitsu from Jūyō 19

 

5th picture is Senjuin mei 千手院 from Jūyō 16. As Ray said earlier it is very rare. So far I have documented just 6 swords that bear the 3 character Senjuin mei.

[Ray Singer]

I would like to see just one more, anybody.

One more attached. Looking through the Juyo books, bonji on naginata are not all that uncommon.

[Tom Darling]

Gentlemen,

 

I defer on the source of the Bonji, where it's relevant on a naginata. My pertinent  query, referred specifically of having a bonji character on a tachi or katana "nakago". If this is truly a bonji character, rather than a mei on this tachi, it is the  only one  I've ever seen. Maybe the only one known? I've been wrong before!  Like to see another.  Peace.

 

Regards,

 

Tom D.

[Ray Singer]

Bonji are very frequently see on the nakago of swords due to the osuriage process. Looking through the Juyo books, there are dozens of examples and there was a beautiful Soshu Fuyuhiro with bonji on the nakago at the recent Tampa show.

 

As far as one that was part of the original nakago, which I believe is the question, please see attached. I'm pretty sure we have discussed this sword here before.

 

[Tanto54]

Dear Tom,

 

Given the rather poor chiseling of the Bonji in question, I think another possibility is that it is a DIY "atobori" added long ago by an ardent Buddhist owner....  (and before you ask, yes, I've seen those kinds of additions before - more than twice - and no, I don't have any ready pictures of them...)

[Ray Singer]

Strongly agree with George's comments above. Bonji are typically carved like horimono rather than chiseled like a mei (as in your example). Devout buddhists may have a bonji, an invocation/mantra or both added in relation to their faith. I don't think the bonji on this sword has a relation to where it was made (ie. a Senju Kannon bonji would not indicate that the blade is Yamato Senjuin). Like George, I believe this simply indicates that an owner at one point was a devout Buddhist and chose to have this added. I can recall both Buddhist inscriptions on osuriage nakago and ato-bori horimono with Buddhist themes which I believe represent the same scenario.

[Peter Bleed]

I'll go a step further than George and Ray, I think this could be some manner of damage to the tang. To my eye it is both skilless and odd. It doe NOT look to me like a Bonji. Is it possible that we may be discussing an ink blot.

Peter

[Tom Darling]

I have seen hundreds of bonji atobari, but never seen a bonji that looks like a mei, and doubt anyone else has seen one on an ubu tachi nakago. Let it be a Buddhist bonji and place in the archives for future reference, if that's what it truly is.  Are there any other kaji other then Ichi one character mei nihonto? Peace.

 

Tom D.

[Tom Darling]

Kaji that were Buddhist monks may have used a  (kanji) art name?  Does this ring a bell?

 

 

Tom D.