Kikusui mon

[cabowen]

Usually the kikusui mon is associated with works made during WWII at the Minatogawa Tanrenjo at the Minatogawa Jinja. Recently I have seen a few WWII era blades with the kikusui that were not made by Minatogawa smiths being sold as "Kikusui-to". Apparently it was possible to order a kikusui applied to one's blade. Be wary of those selling a blade with the mon as a "Kikusui-to", which is what Minatogawa blades are often called, if the smith is not a listed Minatogawa smith.

 

For example, this blade is in kaigunto koshirae. Sakai Shigemasa did not work at the Minatogawa Jinja.....

 

 

Or this one by Kawashima Tadayoshi:

 

 

Or this one by Seki Masafusa:

 

 

Here is a Minatogawa Kikusui-to to compare to:

 

[kusunokimasahige]

Chris, is it the exact same stamp/engraving as on the Minatogawa Jinja swords when you compare them ?

Size and shape etc.

 

KM

[cabowen]

See above....I would say very similar. I wonder if there may have been an engraving service used for all of these???

[kusunokimasahige]

Probably not, since with the original you posted the lowest stripe of the Kikusui mon is much closer to the one above, and more crisp as far as I can see.

 

But, it would be interesting to find out whether several smiths used the [Mon], and if it could just be ordered.

 

KM

[Jean]

But, it would be interesting to find out whether several smiths used the Hamon, and if it could just be ordered.

 

 

H-J,

 

Hamon????

[kusunokimasahige]

Sorry Jean !!!!

 

My apologies, I edited it. Long day.

 

KM

[george trotter]

Hi all,

In past years I have seen an example of a gunto blade with the kikusui mon on the blade...just in front of the habaki...I have also seen the kikusui in the hamon (so you were not dreaming Henk-Jan)...I can't remember now if these were the same blade or two blades...they/it was definitely not Minatogawa and I remember them/it as "not gendaito"...probably showato.

The kikusui usage was more widespread than most imagine.

Regards,

[kusunokimasahige]

Thank you George, you mean this type of Hamon of course :

 

 

KM

[george trotter]

Yes, that's it...the hamon kiku I saw was also just a short way in front of the habaki...interestingly I have also seen Mt Fuji in the same way.

Regards,