Eric H

Sukehiro is a „big“ name and often faked. Eric

JIFU - small whitish grain shapes like letters c,o,s, in the surface of Bizen blades (Hawley) JIFU - Black speckling resembling utsuri in the ji (AFU) SUMI-HADA - smooth blakish patches on the surface of Bitchu blades (Hawley) SUMI-HADA - dark but clearly bright metal surface (TB) Gentlemen, The subject of jifu is not easy to grasp, in the diashow „Sadazane“ is nothing to see but a single smooth blakish patch. Having nothing found in my internet library, never seen a description of jifu or jifu utsuri, nor an oshigata (exeption Guido‘s sword). I started therefore a search in the Token Bijutsu Vol. 1 to 20. Here are some examples how jifu is described there and finally also one oshigata displaying jifu-utsuri. No.8 - Kagehide - ...and contains midare-utsuri together with jifu seen in some places. No.14 - Sanekage - ...and contain chikei and jifu No.15 - Echizen Shimosaka - ...some jifu in sumi-hada gokoro No.16 - Naminohira Yasuyuki - ...and contains jifu in the whitish steel No.17 - Yasutsuna - ...and contains an utsuri of jifu type No.19 - Higo Daijo Sadakuni - ...embodies jifu or dark shadowlike spots in the ji No.20 - Unsho - ...the kitae in itame-hada mixed with mokume contains jifu-utsuri. (oshigata)- for better view click download PS - in the other oshigatas the „jifu“ is not displayed Eric

Louis, you look much younger than I thought Eric

Reinhard and Guido are correct... I go 3 steps back...Sorry for wrong information. BTW Guido's sword was at the Macao exposition...its nakago Eric

UBU MUMEI...it does exist... :lol: Nagasa 64.1 cm - unsigned with ubu nakago - attributed to Go Yoshihiro - Kamakura-early Nanbokucho period NBTHK Tokubetsu Juyo Token 64.1 cm - ubu - extremely short for the period Go Yoshihiro @ http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_ ... 31627061d7 Nagasa 71.2 cm - unsigned with ubu nakago - attributed to Fukuoka Ichimonji - Kamakura NBTHK Juyo Token Ichimonji @ http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/sale/10478.html Eric

OK, Sorry! Eric

jifu, which looks like dark thumbprints Eyes wide shut ...have a look at my pictures, in the first pic 4 jifu are clearly visible, what do you want more? Eric

Jifu on a Katana - Aoe 68.26 cm - late Kamakura Eric

Hi Jean, I know... I tried to point to Kiyomaro's characteristics you accentuated in your comment... using John Amons pic mirror-inverted. Eric

a reminder (pic Amon) Eric

From a Katana 69.9 cm - Sekido Fujiwara Korekazu kore wo seitan - Meiji 2 (1869) Eric

Sorry, IMHO this is super low stuff...is it worth to discuss? Eric

Kurihara Akihide, known as Kurihara Hikosaburo was born at Sano in Tochigi pref. in 1879. He learned under Inagaki Masanori the Second and Horii Taneaki clan. Akihide established Nihon-to Tanren Denshusho at Akasaka in Tokyo and made efforts to train modern swordsmiths 50 strong include Amada Akitsugu, Akimoto Akitomo and Miyairi Akihira. Akihide also went into politics as a member of the House of Representatives for Tochigi Pref. He passed away in 1954, aged 76. The pictured horimonos are the same of the Akihide blade. I agree the upper one is a irritating photograph whereas the other displays the details very well. To judge it as „clumsy, horrible, badly executed“ is most surprising... well to each his opinion. Abe Akitada of Sanjo city wasn‘t a disciple of Akihide, he was an engraver as far as I have detected. The Tanto was made for celebration of the imperial year 2601 (1941). Eric

To give justice to Abe Akitada's skill :lol: Eric

A fine and attractive Tanto with an unusual horimono. Eric

Tokyo Shimbun, 2007 March Eric

Well, this is a puzzle See UK Sword Register No: 105 http://www.to-ken.com/swordregister/No105.htm Harima Daijo Shigetaka - Fujishiro Shinto Hen Nakago Eric

Example of a doubtful NBTHK Koshu Tokubetsu Kicho paper dated 1974. This Hankei Katana in fine polish with minor surface scratches was on ebay with a starting price of $ 5,000 and remained unsold. This however does in no way imply the Muramasa paper to be doubtful... as many times cited : characteristics of the steel, hamon, shape of blade and nakago must correspond to the smith‘s workmanship. Eric

It seems that people have seen for the first time a Wakizashi in shobu zukuri ...and speculation on the validity of the origami is just ridiculous, as well as the belief that all old papers are false. It is proven that doubtful papers have been issued by NBTHK when it comes to „big“ names...but this Shitahara Hiroshige is a „Nobody“, ie not worth to be faked, because the only motif of forgery is monetary gain. To mistrust old papers is unjustifiable but advised when big names are involved and the blade characteristics do not correspond. Eric

This Wakizashi is unmodified and in original shape with Tokubetsu Kicho origami...shoshin. The added pic is from a Katana by a Hiroshige of the Shitahara group. Eric

I have checked the sites in the "Baur Collection" book but without success. Eric

Yes, „Of the very famous names, it is said with some truth, that there were many more forgeries than genuine signatures. In all cases, examination to determine whether the characteristics of the steel, temperline, shape of blade and tang, correspond to those listed for the man or his school“. And nowadays we are confronted with forgeries by contemporary forgers, I refer to a gimei Ono Yoshimitsu that was treated on the board, but unfortunately a clear and unmistakable answer on this subject has never been delivered...IMO IMO Nakahara's statement on mumei blades is one-eyed as well as his view on polishers in general. Eric

I take note of your view...Sorry, but it seems to me that the same is very limited. This kind of tsuba as I believe was never intended to be mounted on a sword but it is nevertheless an excellent work with its own merits. I for one would greatly appreciate this one as a gift, simply as work of art. Eric

I have always been fascinated by masterly executed oshigata. The details shown can hardly be seen in a photgraphy though scanner pics are quite good. When I look at my Tanto with hitatsura hamon I imagine how difficult it is to make an accurate drawing. All oshigata are performed by Kazushige Tsuruta. BTW there is a oshigata on a Tanto by Etchu Norishige Eric

further: Bizen... Katsumitsu Munemitsu Norimitsu Tadayuki Eric