Historically speaking, what flaws and faults were acceptable

[estcrh]

What I mean is what type of flaw and or fault on a brand new sword would someone not have had a problem with in Japan when swords were actually being worn and used. While I am sure people of means could afford to buy perfect examples what was acceptable and considered normal by the average person and when brand new did high level smiths have certain flaws and faults that they considered to be normal enough to not have a problem with when selling the blade.

 

I know that some problems with blades are not apparent right away but I see blades that to me look like the flaws in them were there from day 1. Did the smiths themselves consider certain flaws and faults acceptable? Was there a different standard of acceptance of flaws and faults or was it strictly a monetary consideration that caused people to own swords that were not entirely perfect. Any input would be appreciated.

[paulb]

Hi Eric,

I think any discussion on this will be largely theoretical as I would doubt such detailed information was ever recorded anywhere. I think one needs to consider the wide range of manufacture, the market and what information is availalbe today.

Taking the last first. nearly all of the information availale to us today on old work focuses on the top end. This is not unique to Japanese Swords but in any sphere of craft/art scholars nearly always study what is best. This means that our perception and view of swords is based on the top tier of production.

Swords being produced for this top strata of soceity had to be of high quality and I would think any smith wishing to enhance or retain their reputation would not risk putting their name to or supplying anything that exhibited a recognised fault. Even if selling to a lesser user there would be the danger of an inferior work surfacing and damaging their reputation. This may account to some degree to the number of apparent mumei ubu blades attributed to well known smiths or schools which appear today (there are also many other theories for this as well).

Beneath this top layer there must have been countless smiths/ schools/ production lines turning out basic weapons for the lesser mortals. Examples of this are the famous "bundle swords" produced in the late koto period in Bizen and Mino. As long as these blades functioned did not have faults which inhibited that function I would doubt that minor faults would have been the cause of concern. However as said above I dont think much is written about this group as they were regarded as having little artistic merit.

Rgerads

paul

[estcrh]

Paul, thanks for your thoughts, I know its a subject that probably would be hard if not impossible to answer accurately but I thought I would try. As for the mumei ubu blades, I was wondering if blades that did not meet certain standards but were not bad enough to be destroyed were instead just sold unsigned maybe by a third party so as not to damage the smiths reputation but salvaging something from the work.

[paulb]

Hi Eric, I think that may be a reasonable view. Certainly it has been suggested for some time in the past that a smith would make two or three blades for a customer to choose from and would only sign the blade selected. the others were then sold unsigned. I think this is one theory that appears to go in and out of fashion and I am not sure its current status, but again it would help explain some undigned ubu pieces.

[cisco-san]

Additionally I think that, as known, good blades were very expensive and blades with some flaws were cheaper. Not everybody was able to buy such expensive sword. So I guess that the market for "cheap" swords existed.

From my point of view today it is quite similar with e.g. cars. Due to the financial situation not everybody is able to buy a expensive car....

[IanB]

Eric, Paul, I remember from way back reading of fortune tellers who gave readings by looking at the flaws in customer's blades. That would suggest that some / many were not that fussed about the odd ware and were quite content to walk around with a sword that was not blemish free.

Ian Bottomley

[paulb]

Ian,

I wish there were some around today I could keep them in work for a while

[estcrh]

Ian, just the sort of information I was hoping to hear, thanks.