Sword Display

[Curran]

Incredibly beautiful. I cannot believe I have not seen this thread before.

My praise to Colin and all concerned with this. I like how the tsuba and kodogu are tastefully displayed.

 

- Wow. -

 

Curran

[Pete Klein]

Curran -- I couldn't agree more. Very tasteful and impressive.

[Rich T]

Just for those not in the know, Collin informed me he made those stands himself. They are very nice.

 

Rich

[Chishiki]

Here is some info on the stamp (Kokuin) on the nakago of the Naotane. He is well known for using these stamps which denote places he visited and made swords. The one pictured is dated Nov 1845 stamped Koromo in katakana to show that this was a foreign place,this is Mikawa Meiyo (KOROMO) in Nagoya.'

 

Any further input on this place or it's significance would be appreciated. Regards Mark

[Chishiki]

Hi, photo of part of a country display we did in 2006. I note a thread on the NMB that talks about where are the new collectors? ie the Chicago Show. We hope that doing displays like this will make people aware of swords as art, and maybe encourage people to collect.

 

I am trying to keep this thread alive on NMB because it shows swords at their best and new collectors can see what can be achieved. As previously stated,nearly all swords displayed have been found here and restored. Presenting them as Art is what we are about.

[Chishiki]

Benalla art gallery display.

[Chishiki]

Koto Kanabo Masatsugu Katana. Tokubetsu hozon. It is thought that this sword is his earliest known work.

[Chishiki]

Jean, this is Akasaka Senjuin Katana again. It is the best pic of the hamon I could get at present. I should have added earlier that you are correct in that you see some togari ba in the hamon. Circa 1450, Hozon Token.

[Chishiki]

The Hamilton Art Gallery.2006.

[YukouYukimura]

Ok, time for a really stupid question.. but this post also doubles as a bump to keep this great thread on top! So here goes:

 

Why are some of the blades in the pictures laying on the HA?

 

[Mark Green]

They are Tachi

[Chishiki]

Hi, not a stupid question at all. The swords are basically displayed as they would have been worn. The Mihara School blade has "tachi" stipulated on the NBTHK paper and dates to about circa1400. Many blades from this period were shortened to be worn differently, ie Katana. Had that particular sword been shortened the paper would have said "katana". The blade displayed with the cloisonne mounts is a katana but displayed as tachi as it goes with the tachi mounts, and would have been worn edge down. This is a basic explanation as I understand it. Maybe someone else can be more specific. Regards Mark

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Mark, thanks for this thread.

Anything more ?

[YukouYukimura]

They are Tachi

 

Hi, not a stupid question at all. The swords are basically displayed as they would have been worn. The Mihara School blade has "tachi" stipulated on the NBTHK paper and dates to about circa1400. Many blades from this period were shortened to be worn differently, ie Katana. Had that particular sword been shortened the paper would have said "katana". The blade displayed with the cloisonne mounts is a katana but displayed as tachi as it goes with the tachi mounts, and would have been worn edge down. This is a basic explanation as I understand it. Maybe someone else can be more specific. Regards Mark

 

 

Thank you both! I got a chance to see a Tachi at the last show... It was an amazing thing to hold, it had a Orikaeshi-mei, which was the first I have ever seen.

[Chishiki]

Hamilton Art Gallery

[Chishiki]

This is an Osaka Shinshinto Katana by Terutsugu. Full mei is MINAMOTO HIDE(also read

TERU)TSUGU SESSHU OMIYA HACHIMAN SANROKU-ni OITE KORE-o TSUKURU. It says Minamoto Hidetsugu or Terutsugu? made it at the foot of Mt Hachiman at Omiya in

Sesshu (Osaka).

 

The NBTHK looked into the catalogues of signatures they have,and his name was not listed,but

it is now(so there is no reference material in the NBTHK available for this sword smith).

 

Interesting to see such a long nakago on an ubu sword. Any ideas as to why? (ps. I know, this is a question for newer collectors).

 

Question 2. Any idea of the significance of Mt. Hachiman? Where it is and was it a known sword production location? This we don't really know.

[Chishiki]

A Koto Mino Senchuin Katana. The Koshirae is great with a snake skin saya, very rare and unusual.

[Chishiki]

A 4th generation Kanemoto Wakizashi. 3rd Magoroku, although it is strongly felt it is actually Kanemoto 3 or 2nd Magoroku. Hozon token.

[Chishiki]

silver kodachi.

[Chishiki]

Hi Lorenzo, here are the pics for you of the masataka koshirae. Very sorry for the late reply. If you want higher resolution pics pm me with your email address.

 

The fuchi gashira are by 4th yasuchika. The other mounts are by an artist we have no reference on (forgot to take a pic and will do so in the future). The mounts (tsuba and kozuka) are also dated to 1829. It is felt the sword is actually by Suketaka but the NBTHK attributed to his grandson Masataka, we accept what they say but beg to differ.

 

As you see they are very unique mounts. Again sorry for the lateness to your request.

 

Kind Regards

 

Mark

[Chishiki]

A few more...sorry for the space we are using

[Jean]

I am fed up with superlative, I shall only say , never mind the space used....

[Lorenzo]

I am fed up with superlative, I shall only say , never mind the space used....

 

I can just quote Jean. Superlative. Many thanks for having satisfied my request... Lovely, really....

[Chishiki]

Just to clarify. The kozuka and tsuba have the same mei but only the kozuka is dated.

[hybridfiat]

It is more pics and descriptions like these we novices need to raise our standards, levels of discernment and appreciation.

Not the $50 fleabay specials that provoke flame wars and resentment "........full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing" (with apologies to Will S)

[Chishiki]

Hi all. Would appreciate comments on this Akasaka Tsuba. It has Tokubetsu Kicho papers. Any opinion as to 1. Age. 2. Artist(generation). 3. Theme. Diameter is 6.5cm. Thank you in advance.

[Stephen]

perhaps it would be best to have the Mods move this to Tosogu?

[Chishiki]

Whilst these postings vary in topic, they are about showing collectors what we have displayed at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. We would prefer the thread to proceed as is but if the moderators wish to alter it then it's up to them. We are just looking for feedback to add some flavour and interest. Regards Mark

[Chishiki]

TOP SHELF :- 1 OSAFUNE SUKESADA (TOSHIRO SCHOOL)

LEFT TO RIGHT 2 SOJI (MINOBEI) TAIKEI NAOTANE

3 KUNIYASU HORIKAWA

 

 

MIDDLE SHELF:- 4 SUO (SEIRYUSHI) MORITOSHI

5 WAKASA NO KAMI MICHITOKI

6 SOJI (KATSUYA) NAOHIDE

7 SENJUIN SCHOOL (AKASAKA-MINO)

 

BOTTOM SHELF:- 8 HAMANO NORIYUKI

9 KOGOTO

10 GOTO HOKKYO ICHIJO (HACHIROBEE LINE)

11 ITO MASAYOSHI (BUSHU ITO SCHOOL)

12 ITO MASACHIKA (BUSHU ITO SCHOOL)

13 SURUGA (HAYATA CHUJIRO) TAKAOKI

14 ISHIGURO (KATO KINJIRO) TERUAKI

15 GOTO MITSUKUNI

16 TAKAHASHI GURI-BORI

17 ISHIGURO ICHIJU (PUPIL OF KORETSUNE)

18 ISHIGURO (GINNOSUKE) MASATSUNE III

 

 

 

THIS IS A LIST OF NIHONTO AND TOSOGU CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT THE ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, COLIN MCDONALD WILL BE THERE IN NOVEMBER TO CHECK THE DISPLAY, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN A FIRST HAND VIEWING OR WISHES TO ASK QUESTIONS COLIN WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PIECES ON DISPLAY. DATE TO BE ADVISED

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

Question 2. Any idea of the significance of Mt. Hachiman? Where it is and was it a known sword production location? This we don't really know.

 

Mt Hachiman is located near Biwa lake, Toyotomi Hidetsugu (Hideyoshi's nephew) built a castle, Omi-Hachiman, on its summit.