Sugata and period

[Nicholas]

     I purchased a 70.4cm sword w/ 2 body cutting test from Tetsugendo. While speaking to Mike Yamasaki about the sword he said the sword was previously papered to Omiya (origami had since been lost). He also gave his personal opinion of Soden Bizen/ Nambokucho. My question is does this sword have a Nambokucho sugata. What should I be looking for as clues to the age of the sword.

 

Side note: I am happy with the purchase either way. And I probably will send it to get papered and sayagaki.

[Caracal]

 

The sword looks like a Naoe Shizu from the Nambokuchō period.”

//Robert

[Rivkin]

1 hour ago, Nicholas said:

     I purchased a 70.4cm sword w/ 2 body cutting test from Tetsugendo. While speaking to Mike Yamasaki about the sword he said the sword was previously papered to Omiya (origami had since been lost). He also gave his personal opinion of Soden Bizen/ Nambokucho. My question is does this sword have a Nambokucho sugata. What should I be looking for as clues to the age of the sword.

Side note: I am happy with the purchase either way. And I probably will send it to get papered and sayagaki.

 

 

Yes and no. It seems to have narrow mihaba, extended kissaki with uniform curvature, but I am not sure it goes all the way to a classic 1360s shape you so often see with Soden Bizen. Its hard to kantei by photo, but of all Soden Bizen it can possibly reach Yoshikage. Much more likely it will be Omiya if submitted. Or Kozori. The judgement will not be based on sugata first and foremost - hamon in Bizen tends to be rather distinctive between Kamakura and Muromachi and serves as the key kantei metric.

[Nicholas]

51 minutes ago, Rivkin said:

The judgement will not be based on sugata first and foremost - hamon in Bizen tends to be rather distinctive between Kamakura and Muromachi and serves as the key kantei metric.

I understand that sugata is only one piece of the puzzle when judging a sword. The shape just makes me think Muramachi period when I look at it with my inexperienced eyes. The sword also came with a little tag on it that says Omiya Morikage. Maybe that’s what the attribution was previously.
 

      I’ve read that There is a huge difference in activity in the hamon from the kamakura period compared to Muramachi. It’s just hard for me to understand without seeing it in hand.

[Lewis B]

I would listen to Mike's personal opinion very carefully. He has a good eye and I believe is the first and only non-Japanese resident to win the prestigious All Japan National kantei championship in 2001. He entered again in 2008 where he got 2nd place, and joint 2nd in 2018 after a tie-breaker. Thats praise indeed.

 

Some pointers to look for. Firstly is the hamon nioi- or nie-deki? Utsuri? This will give you a good idea of the period. Utsuri tended to disappear in the Muromachi as nie-based hamon became more en vogue. Is the hada itame and mokume with many short chikei and a tendency to nagare hada?

 

 

[Rivkin]

36 minutes ago, Nicholas said:

I understand that sugata is only one piece of the puzzle when judging a sword. The shape just makes me think Muramachi period when I look at it with my inexperienced eyes. The sword also came with a little tag on it that says Omiya Morikage. Maybe that’s what the attribution was previously.
 

      I’ve read that There is a huge difference in activity in the hamon from the kamakura period compared to Muramachi. It’s just hard for me to understand without seeing it in hand.

If the cutting test signature is guaranteed (it was modern paper that were lost?) I would not worry much about anything else. Muromachi Osafune tends to look different, but if it gets papers chances it will be just Den Omiya without any specific period. Which is Nambokucho by default.

[Brian]

I was going to say (before Lewis said it) that Mike has won a lot of kantei competitions, and I would gladly lean on his opinion when it comes to these things. Nice sword.

[Nicholas]

1 hour ago, Lewis B said:

I would listen to Mike's personal opinion very carefully. He has a good eye and I believe is the first and only non-Japanese resident to win the prestigious All Japan National kantei championship in 2001. He entered again in 2008 where he got 2nd place, and joint 2nd in 2018 after a tie-breaker. Thats praise indeed.

 

Some pointers to look for. Firstly is the hamon nioi- or nie-deki? Utsuri? This will give you a good idea of the period. Utsuri tended to disappear in the Muromachi as nie-based hamon became more en vogue. Is the hada itame and mokume with many short chikei and a tendency to nagare hada?

 

 

I don’t think Mike is lying to me. I know his opinion is highly regarded and he was very kind to me and easy to deal with. Just wanted to see if others shared the same opinion of the sword.

       I believe the hamon is in Nioi with some utsuri. Jigane looks to me as itame/ mukome mix. 

[Nicholas]

1 hour ago, Rivkin said:

f the cutting test signature is guaranteed (it was modern paper that were lost?) I would not worry much about anything else. Muromachi Osafune tends to look different, but if it gets papers chances it will be just Den Omiya without any specific period. Which is Nambokucho by default.

I’m not sure of the age or level of the lost paperwork. Mike guaranteed it to pass shinsa. The 2 body cutting test is what drew me to the sword. Whether it was Nambokucho or not was an afterthought. After looking at some Omiya attributed swords I can see why that is the suggestion. It just didn’t have the classic Nambokucho shape but with little to no taper that got me thinking.

[Nicholas]

29 minutes ago, Brian said:

I was going to say (before Lewis said it) that Mike has won a lot of kantei competitions, and I would gladly lean on his opinion when it comes to these things. Nice sword.

I agree and definitely respect his opinion.

[Lewis B]

I saw this listed on FB and thought at the time this was a nice piece and a great price for a Koto blade with Tameshigiri kinzogan inscription. I also think you made a good choice.

[Nicholas]

53 minutes ago, Lewis B said:

I saw this listed on FB and thought at the time this was a nice piece and a great price for a Koto blade with Tameshigiri kinzogan inscription. I also think you made a good choice.

Thanks, I’m glad I bought it. I thought to myself when’s the next time I’ll see a Koto blade possibly from Nambokucho period with tameshigiri kinzogan mei at that price. Probably never again. If it was papered and had sayagaki I probably wouldn’t be able to afford it . It’s a change of pace from the Gendaito I normally collect.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Intriguing piece, glad it went to someone here. 

[Lewis B]

5 hours ago, Nicholas said:

Thanks, I’m glad I bought it. I thought to myself when’s the next time I’ll see a Koto blade possibly from Nambokucho period with tameshigiri kinzogan mei at that price. Probably never again. If it was papered and had sayagaki I probably wouldn’t be able to afford it . It’s a change of pace from the Gendaito I normally collect.

And a good reminder to us all to take good care of our papers and take a photographic copy.