Eric H

A masterpiece, wonderful and stunning these details. Eric

Kunitaro san, I‘m very interested to read more about the history of this sword and its Horimono. I can understand that obviously different opinions about the Horimono exist, the dragon is perhaps the reason of discussion. Eric

No panic please. Is there really a belief that the majority of the Shinsa appraisers of those times, 1952 - 1982, were criminal individuals...not imaginable. That fraudulent manipulations in a greater extent has occured is proven. Many sword collectors, first of all those of earlier generation, have „old“ origamis with their swords. But the medal has 2 facets, that is the paper and the sword. If the blade confirmes exactly what the paper attests, i.e. mei and workmanship are in accordance with the makers characteristics, then a white, green or blue paper are enough and a need to send the sword to Japan for new Hozon or Tokubetsu Hozon or higher is obsolete. As often said, caution with old papers together with famous names. I know that my „old“ papers are the reliable confirmations of the authenticity of my swords. Eric

Even untrained eyes recognize the perfectness of this Horimono by Yoshitane, the comparison with the one of the alleged Masahide is impressive and shows clearly the difference between a masterwork and mediocre quality. In another thread was revealed that atobori on blades by Nobuhide, the other great horimono-shi, are not uncommon and sometimes of astonishing quality. When Masahide carved Horimono by himself he added „hori dosaku“. Eric

Ouch!.... Yoshitane Horimono on a Masahide Wakizashi Eric

Kunitaro san, Firstly thank you for your efforts to go deeper in the stories of these Nobuhide works, even with contributions of previous owners, thanks to your relations to the involved persons. Much appreciated. The zufu reads: deeply carved a bit different from his normal hori. And furthermore they say: „Great Horimono as you see“. It is very easy to detect what is right or wrong...the book, pages 58/59. Frankly would they publish an important work of Nobuhide in this book if not all facts are flawless... a Juyo Token by Nobuhide, who is very famous for his superb Horimono.... in a Reference book like this and the carver of the Horimono is questionable? Perhaps they did because of the outstanding quality of the sword. I was successful to resize the zufu. Eric

Kunitaro san, I wondered how the Nobuhide Katana, 76.2 cm, had received the Juyo designation despite that there are two ato bori Horimono. I add the description. If I‘m not wrong, this JuTo is described as a masterpiece by Nobuhide on pages 58/59 in the book „Kurihara Nobuhide no Kenkyu“ already mentioned, the Horimono are described as to be very impressive. If so, than they are jishin bori. Eric

Kunitaro san, It‘s after all to accept that Nobuhide had his own method of carving Horimono. Nevertheless I add an extremely fine Tanto by Nobuhide, the Hamon in nie-deki and with jishin-bori. This perhaps as evidence that Nobuhide carved Horimono not exclusively on blades in nioi-deki. Eric

I‘m sorry I cannot resize the pic of the zufu. Interesting... a Nobuhide Katana, 76.2 cm, Juyo Token, nie-deki and with later added Horimono. Eric

Kunitaro, I‘d like to ask you a favor. Could you please exactly translate what is written in the hamon column...Nie...and in the setsumei column...Nie no......deki... Thanks Eric

Kunitaro, I‘m a bit confused, has this sword a tempered edge, or is it untempered? Comparing the Dragon Horimono by Nobuhide and Gassan Sadatoshi. Nobuhide and Yoshitane were the most skillful Horimonoshi in Shinshinto period. Sadatoshi is a contemporary smith who carves most excellent Horimono. Nobuhide forged swords in nioi-deki as well as in nie-deki. The close up of “Ameno uzume“ displays a nioiguchi tempered in nie-deki, that said, if he made Horimono before yakiire, and only on nioi-deki blades, this example speaks against the theory. Nobuhide‘s known dated blades are from 1855 -1878. Anyway if Nobuhide has carved Horimono before yakiire, and in succession of the theory only on nioi-deki blades, then it must be considered as unusual and a peculiarity of this smith. Eric

I believe this is a fundamental error. The Horimono is chiseled in the -softer- steel, the Kawagane, apart from the yakiba. It is not influenced by either nioi deki or nie deki. I recall the smith makes a thorough inspection of the blade after quenching and then makes a foundation polish. If Horimono is added before yakiire, what happens with it... as we know the quenching process has remarkable distortion as a result. But I agree, everything is possible, even „to put the cart before the horse“. Eric

Gassan Sadatoshi performing Horimono after yakiire, since chiseling is executed after the ground polish and after minute examination of the blade by the smith. The Horimono is chiseled in the kawagane, the tempered part of the blade remain untouched, finally the „mei“ is added by chisel work. I think this is the traditional way of making Horimono. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swNIC0ZuJ44 Eric

...more detailed informations On October 15/16 a Tachi by Naotane is at Auction (Hermann Historica, München). Have a look at the information on Naotane in the ebook, there is an abundance of data on this smith. The book edition or the ebook is a „must“ for the serious collector. Eric

Just received and tested. There is no Table of Content and for reason of easy use I have prepared a sheet with the alphabetic characters. „N“ f.e. starts with page 436, „O“ page 506 etc. This ebook by Markus Sesko is a very useful and valuable addition to the Hawley books, it gives more detailed informations. Eric

Hiroshige : Tokaido 53 Stations - 46 - Shono - Hoeido http://www.hiroshige.org.uk/hiroshige/t ... ons_46.htm Eric

Ken, The respective websites are stored on my PC, but they wouldn‘t work on your PC. Anyway I add some other pics that belong to the previously pictured koshirae. Actually it is like nowadays, Men follow in clothing (not always, depends on the age :lol: ) the current fashion, and in those times equally for koshirae...the decisive factor is and was always the capacity of the wallet. Eric

His „clients“, completely unknown by name and rank, certainly belonged to the more wealthy Samurai class. I suspect they ordered koshirae and tosogu from the respective craftsmen according to their own taste. There doesn‘t exist a mounting exclusively reserved for Kiyomaro swords. On the site of Kenji Mishina are enough examples of various styles of koshirae, the goal would be to choose high quality tosogu. Some original koshirae for katana. Kiyondo Nobuhide Suzuki Masao Yamaura Masao Eric

Sumie Kashima was very accommodating in answering my questions...herewith her responses and you can make up your mind I am glad to hear that you like the information of the signature. Our staff doesn’t deserve to be praised. Because the trick of fake signature was so simple that you may be able to break it at once. The sword is not for sale. Now, it seems like that I have to reveal the story from the beginning to persuade you out. In fact, the sword was brought to us by our friend for consignment. The sword had belonged to his collection for some years. When our staff studied the sword, he broke the trick of signature. The friend was confused, because he didn’t think it fake. And the friend said that the sword was followed with a paper but he didn’t bring it together with. He expected to put the sword in consignment for the price of genuine. The next day, he brought us the paper. Then our staff went to NBTHK. The purpose was to save our policy against sword lovers like the friend. Our staff didn’t expect anything from NBTHK, but he was sure that any professor never say it genuine. After the staff came back from NBTHK, he told the friend what happened at NBTHK, and returned the sword to the friend. That is all the story of the sword “Tanshu Kunimune” passing for Usagiya. The friend has been a sword collector for some 10 years. If he studied the signature carefully, he might easily break the trick. The paper made him blind. Last response: OK, please feel free to give me questions. I will join you to the end of your question, because you seems to be a sword lover. I have to say again, it is not a merit of our staff to have discovered the fake. The trick is so simple, our staff thinks that NBTHK professors never overlook it. The professor at NBTHK said the paper is genuine, and the photograph on it is same to the ledger in NBTHK. Therefore he said the sword in paper is different to the sword our staff brought. It was clear solution. We can’t go into the closed door room, and we don’t want to know the policy of NBTHK. The signature of the sword our staff brought is fake, NBTHK agreed it. That is all. Paper is not a matter of our concern. Eric

The two photos, origami and nakago, are identical in all details. An original mei has been erased and replaced, now after the explanation clearly visible as faint marks at some places, though on the origami photo lesser clear. it is only one sword. Now I understand that the examination of this mei and its possible original mei has required about one hour. NBTHK experts have overlooked at the shinsa this fact and issued at bona fida the origami. The blade surely shows characteristics of this Shinshinto Tanshu Kunimune, failing this, they wouldn‘t have it papered. I am very thankful to Sumie Kashima and the staff for their efforts on this subject. Thank you Adam L. as the initiator of this interesting thread. Eric

I have received another message from Usagiya which generates more important information on the subject: Dear Mr. ... The staff explained some more about the signature. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/news.html I hope it will be an answer for your question. Sincerely yours. Sumie Kashima, operator of Usagiya. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/ Eric

As previously said the 7. gen. Yamato Daijo Fujiwara Sukesada, the adopted son of Kozuke Daijo, is known with dai-mei saku. The mei on your Wakizashi is definetely not by Kozuke Daijo, but it is, because papered as such by JTK, with certainty a „workshop“ production. Eric

Why not ask Usagiya directly on this subject? Therefore I wrote a mail this morning to Usagiya and the response was very quickly at hand. My questions were not completely answered, but this is what I got: Dear Mr. ... I am sorry I am just an operator of our website, and have small knowledge of sword. Our staff said the signature of the blade is fake. That is all. Other things happened following that. We have no staff who is familiar with papering system. We think the news was a trifling thing to study sword. Let’s study sword together. Sincerely yours. Sumie Kashima, operator of Usagiya Eric

I agree fully with your arguments. Eric

This bizarre story lacks any logic and is full of inconsistencies. If you replace the name of this insignificant Kunimune by Kiyomaro. You go to NBTHK with the respective origami and the blade claiming the blade is gimei...and NBTHK as reported confirm paper OK... "but the blade is very similar to the blade in the paper, but they are different“...(after one hour of research and they don‘t say explicitly it‘s gimei) Would you do that!...never....the blade value would drastically fall. This is exactly what happens with the blade of this papered Kunimune, but I suppose, his blades, low rated, are not much searched. Anyway the research by some members based on the photos proves another outcome than Usagiya‘s conclusion and is valid at least to the nakago. Eric