Ujifusa Tanto

[pcfarrar]

I recently picked up this interesting tanto signed Ujifusa. Seems to be a typical Sue Seki tanto.

Fairly healthy apart from a chipped kissaki. Well cut niju-hi on both sides, terminating short of the kissaki. The nagasa is 28cm.

 

Anyone got any ideas which Ujifusa this might be?

 

 

[Guest Nanshoku-Samurai]

xxx

[pcfarrar]

Anyone have any nijimei examples for Ujifusa. I'm guessing this is the Ujifusa from the Kanefusa line.

[John A Stuart]

Hi Peter, Why Sue-Seki? Seems to have a Kanbun nakagojiri and would fit Owari smiths, shinto Kanefusa Ha. Mei seems tentative though. John

[pcfarrar]

Hi Peter, Why Sue-Seki? Seems to have a Kanbun nakagojiri and would fit Owari smiths, shinto Kanefusa Ha. Mei seems tentative though. John

 

Hi John,

 

I thought it was sue-seki from the fairly thin kasane, hi termination and size. But I agree I don't see any reason why it can't be Kanbun. Pity its not in better condition as I would have been tempted to submit it at the NTHK shinsa in 4 weeks time.

[Jean]

John,

 

I have a sue seki (I post it afew months ago in the translation Assistance section, signed Kanetomo which has exactly the same nakago jiri

 

download/file.php?id=4990

[John A Stuart]

Hi Jean, Indeed I did not mean that this was only of the shinto period but could not be determinate as to either. Meaning why focus on it being koto period? However your pic sure illustrates what I meant about a tentative mei, I think. John

[Jean]

Hi John,

 

Why do you mean by tentative mei ? mei appeal :D or gimeï

[John A Stuart]

Hi Jean, On your Kanetomo the mei was incised confidently while the mei on the Ujifusa just seems less assured. I'm not commenting as to shoshin or not, no books here to even compare. Just has that look/feeling to me. John

[Jean]

John,

 

Though I am not a specialist, statisticallty speaking such a tanto has more chance to be dtd sue Muromachi than kanbun, a pity it won't go to shinsa

[Jean]

Just has that look/feeling to me

 

I see what you mean

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

One thing is certain, it is not a Wakasa no kami Ujifusa blade. Even Ujifusa are more numerous in shinto times i think this one is late Muromachi (mass product?)

[pcfarrar]

s i think this one is late Muromachi (mass product?)

 

That pretty much reflects my thoughts on the piece. Given the quality of the mei I would think a Kazuchimono is a distinct possibility.

[Brian]

That brings up a question from me..

During the warring periods, there was a need to urgently arm soldiers, and therefore not enough time and care was taken in manufacturing swords, leading to most of the kazuuchi mono. I think the steady decline in quality among many smiths was purely due to this mass production.

Most of those primary arms would have been uchigatana, yari, wakizashi etc. Which brings me to my question. Tanto aren't a main battle weapon (kamakura era paired with tachi aside) so would there really have been a mass market or them, and would there really be so many kazuuchi mono in tanto?

I can't see smiths mass producing tanto to arm the troops, and would have thought that tanto remained made in lesser quantities and maybe for special order. Are there really so many kazuuchi-mono tanto, or am I missing something in my thinking here?

 

Brian

[Jean]

Hi Brian,

 

Sue Muromachi, a lot of tanto were produces as well by Bizen as by Mino (other schools too were famous for their tanto,shimada ..).

 

Now, a lot were mass product especially by a lot of am schools, moraba tantos were probably the most well forged, for Mino, they had generally a very thin kasane and if you have a close look at tantos pictures available for sale on the web you will see that a lot of them are very tired (as myself :lol: ), they have a lot of kitae ware, it is the same for sue Bizen tantos (kiyomitsu ...) Tamahagane was available also in limited quantity and was reserved for order swords more rarely tantos, even the inscription of a nengo on the nakago does not prevent a sword to be kazuuchi mono.

 

In fact that was the reason why I was attracted by my unpapered Kanetomo.

 

A lot of tanto were used during huge battles, much more handy in hand to hand fighting, which could explained the Mino fashionable hirazukuri ko waki/sunobi

[Bungo]

they used tanto to cut off the heads for later viewing pleasure........

 

milt