Albert Yamanaka's Newsletters Revisited and Uploaded online...

Lewis B · March 14

15 minutes ago, Jussi Ekholm said:

Maybe Bruce is referring to this 本阿 (花押) - Hona (Kao).

I dont know my Honami lineages too well but I believe one doing the kinzōgan was family member 光温 in 1600's.

Correct. The kinzoganmei says Kotegiri Yoshihiro Hon'a (Kao) and the silver inlay "Possession of Inaba (Masakatsu) Tango-no-kami.

Bruce Pennington · March 14

Ok, still catching up. So "kinzogan" is the gold inlay. Is Yoshihiro Hon'a the guy that did the gold inlay? If so, this is his kao? My earlier comment about cut test was a mix-up from another thread I was reading. This one is not a cut test, correct?

Lukrez · March 15

Whenever Gō comes up, I can’t help thinking about something Honma Kunzan wrote.

He said that seeing the Tomita-Gō left a huge impression on him—it was the first Gō he’d seen "that really showed the true character of the smith".

Does anyone happen to have good pics of the Tomita-Gō, or know where it’s on display these days? Tōken World Museum in Nagoya?

MassiveMoonHeh · March 15

8 minutes ago, Lukrez said:

Whenever Gō comes up, I can’t help thinking about something Honma Kunzan wrote.

He said that seeing the Tomita-Gō left a huge impression on him—it was the first Gō he’d seen "that really showed the true character of the smith".

Does anyone happen to have good pics of the Tomita-Gō, or know where it’s on display these days? Tōken World Museum in Nagoya?

Best pictures on the web, I have found... https://www.tsuruginoya.net/stories/tomitago/

I am not sure where it is being exhibited at the moment. It is owned by the Maeda Ikutokukai Public Interest Incoporated Foundation that was founded by the Maeda Clan. Last I saw it exhibited was the Shusui Museum.

I saw Honma say that it left an impression in Honma Talks. I do agree it is just one of the most wonderful blades ever made, but it also surprised me as I wondered if he had seen the Inaba before this blade as he was talking to his experiences in chronological order. Could the Tomita-Gō have been his first encounter with a Gō blade or a great Gō blade? Not that any Gō blade can be called anything but exceptional. These blades do leave an impact and you can definitely see why Gō Yoshihiro is said to be no better nor worse than Masamune (equal to) and features as a member of the Nihon San Saku. For my money and in agreement with those more knowledgable than myself, the Inaba Gō is the gold standard of Gō blades. https://www.tsuruginoya.net/stories/inabagou/ - this blade is just something special!

MassiveMoonHeh · March 15

17 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Ok, still catching up. So "kinzogan" is the gold inlay. Is Yoshihiro Hon'a the guy that did the gold inlay? If so, this is his kao? My earlier comment about cut test was a mix-up from another thread I was reading. This one is not a cut test, correct?

Yes, Kinzogan is the gold inlay on the tang. Gō Yoshihiro is the smith. Hon'ami Kōtoku is the polisher and appraiser who would have put the Kinzogan on the blade - although he would not have put the gold in that would have been a gold smith. He would have signed the blade. It does not have a cut test.

But as a side fact: The Kitano-Gō does and infact it get's its name from the Kitano Shrine where the cut test was performed.

MassiveMoonHeh · March 15

This is a quote in reference to the Tomita-Gō;

"Among the existing works of Go Yoshihiro, this sword is considered to be on par with "Inaba Go" in terms of craftsmanship and soundness, and is said to be one of the "finest Go in the world." During the Kan'ei era (1624-1645), when Hon'ami Kōshitsu saw this Tomita Go, he reportedly did not certify it, deeming it "of unknown value" (a work of such high quality that it is difficult to assign a price).

This uchigatana is a shinogi-zukuri (ridged) style, with a slightly elongated chū-kissaki (medium-sized point). The forging shows a tightly packed itame-hada (wood grain pattern), with a thick jinie (small crystals in the ji-nie) and mixed with jifu (patterns in the ji-fu). The blade pattern features shallow undulations interspersed with irregular waves, with both ashi (lines extending from the blade) and ha (leaves extending from the blade), a deep nioi (misty effect), and occasional kinsuji (golden streaks), making it a magnificent sword.

eternal_newbie · March 15

From Tsuruginoya, also on the Tomita Gō (apologies for the hasty translation work; there may be some minor inaccuracies):

Quote

The keijo is shinogi-zukuri with an iori-mune, a wide mihaba, shallow sori, and an extended [chu]kissaki. The kitae displays a densely forged ko-itame hada, with occasional masama-hada mixed in, and fine ji-nie and chikei.

The hamon is a shallow notare mixed with gunome, featuring ashi and yo, a deep nioiguchi, strong and thick nioi and ko-nie, kinsuji here and there, and a nioiguchi that is bright and clear (saeru). The boshi on the omote is in a midare-komi featuring togari and with a ko-maru turnback (kaeri), while on the ura the turnback forms an o-maru shape.

The horimono consist of bo-hi on each side. The nakago is mumei and o-suriage, ending in a kuri-jiri, with katte-sagari yasurime, and two mekugi-ana. In the Meibutsu-cho, it is recorded that the suriage was performed by Toshinaga (利長).

MassiveMoonHeh · March 15

Here is a little side colour to the Tomita-Gō:

According to the recollections of Tadamichi, the last head of the Hon'ami family at the beginning of the Meiji era, he was guided by Shunzō of the Kaga Hon'ami (employed by the Maeda in the Edo Period) to inspect swords belonging to the Maeda family, where he participated in an auction and appraisal. At that time, when Tadamichi only correctly identified the Tomita-Gō on his second attempt, he was reprimanded by Shunzō. This sword was different in every way from a typical Gō Yoshihiro, and no one had been able to identify it correctly since the time of Hon'ami Kōetsu (1558-1637). Most people identified it as Bizen Kiyomitsu. It is said that the person who identified it as such was not judging it from the style, but from the knowledge that the Maeda family owned the Tomita-Gō, and therefore it was not a true appraisal. It is strange to appraise something that looks like a Bizen Kiyomitsu as a Gō Yoshihiro, and it is said that Hon'ami Kōshitsu (1583-1625) did not issue a certificate of authenticity because he could not accept the appraisal that it was a Gō Yoshihiro.

Then you have Dr Honma Junji only some 50+ years later saying "that really showed the true character of the smith".

It is very interesting to read the appraisers views of the generations.

eternal_newbie · March 15

6 minutes ago, MassiveMoonHeh said:

It is very interesting to read the appraisers views of the generations.

I think it also speaks to the level of democratization and dissemination of knowledge (no doubt aided by such things as mass-production of reference works and photography) among the more recent generations of sword connoisseurs, even before we get to the public Internet. It is certainly no longer the case that ghosts and Gō are equally rare, assuming you have the desire to view one in person.

MassiveMoonHeh · March 15

I also love how the same story is interpreted differently...

Maeda interpretation:

"Hon'ami Kōshitsu saw this Tomita-Gō, he reportedly did not certify it, deeming it "of unknown value" (a work of such high quality that it is difficult to assign a price)"

Hon'Ami interpretation:

"Hon'ami Kōshitsu (1583-1625) did not issue a certificate of authenticity because he could not accept the appraisal that it was a Gō Yoshihiro."

:rofl:

MassiveMoonHeh · March 15

It is worth noting that when Hon'ami Kōshitsu did not certify the Tomita-Gō as a blade by Gō Yoshihiro that Maeda Toshitsune instructed his tachimochi to take the blade over to Hon'Ami Kōetsu, who operated at the same time, to get his opinion on the blade. Hon'Ami Kōetsu subsequently certified the blade as a Gō... and it has remained such ever since.

Lukrez · March 15

Interesting posts, thanks for sharing. In Mr. Kawase`s words:

"...among all antiques, swords were most difficult to judge, and once one truly understands swords, understanding other works of art becomes effortless."

Edited March 15 by Lukrez

MassiveMoonHeh · March 15

1 hour ago, Lukrez said:

Interesting posts, thanks for sharing. In Mr. Kawase`s words:

"...among all antiques, swords were most difficult to judge, and once one truly understands swords, understanding other works of art becomes effortless."

Sounds like you have really enjoyed @Markus latest book Honma Talks.

I also think it is a superb book and everyone interested in the subject needs to get a copy.

Lukrez · March 15

43 minutes ago, MassiveMoonHeh said:

Sounds like you have really enjoyed @Markus latest book Honma Talks.

I also think it is a superb book and everyone interested in the subject needs to get a copy.

Yes, it's a welcome change from the otherwise rather dry, phonebook-like standard works ;). After all, when else do we get the chance to catch a glimpse into this otherwise inaccessible world...