Ludolf Richter

Hi,the go of the Kozuka (Mitsutaka) plus the Kao is standing for Goto Juyo:look at my pic.Ludolf

Hi Andy,as long as we don't have the real name of the Mei,arguing about schools of possible Masatoshi or Tsugutoshi swordsmiths makes no sense.Fact is,the experts from Aoi-Art recognized the sword as made in the Muromachi period without attaching it to a certain school of that period.So the only solution (including the identification of the Mei) may be,to send the sword to the N.B.T.H.K.in order to get their paper (origami),but that's not cheap and you have to wait some time till you get your sword back.Ludolf

Hi Andy,I believe the description is correct:you do now have a fine Koto-sword!There is no reason to be seen,why the blade should have been shortened.All the swordsmiths Masatoshi or Tsugutoshi I showed are from that period,mostly 16th Century.No Gimei!Ludolf

Masa 政 or Tsugu 次 ?Was the swordsmith drunken when he chiselled that charakter!? My favourite is Masa 政.There are 6 Masatoshi 政俊:MAS 33-38,but it's not MAS 37 from Sagami,because there is a mei-pic in Token to Rekishi TTR 618 with a different signature.From the other 5 guys I could not find a mei-pic in the books (Koto Taikan,Fujishiro/Koto,Tokuno and Iida).If the 1st Kanji is in fact Tsugu 次,there are 5 swordsmiths possible,again without a mei-pic in my books:TSU 123 and 124 from Bitchu and TSU 125-127 from Bizen.Ludolf

Hi to our experts.I couldn't find the 2nd Kanji in all my character books:is it probably an old writing?Thanks Ludolf

Here is his site.Definitely no "Schnaeppchen."Ludolf http://www.messer-spezial.de/Japan http://www.messer-spezial.de

Hi,when I checked the site of a German seller,who is giving away most of his Tsuba,I found one with a Mei hitherto unknown to me:it's not in my Tosogu Database and in the known index books like Haynes,Kinko Jiten,etc.There are not too many artists with KORE as the 1st Kanji of their Go,e.g.from the Ishiguro or Jakushi school.The seller claims he has gotten his pieces mostly from Japan,in this case with the info about the Mei:Koreyuki.Has anybody of you any idea about this Mei?Ludolf

Hi Petter,I have now checked the Mei ("Tatara Uji Nagayuki") with the following sources: YTZ 1-74,Shinto Bengi Oshigata,Fujishiro/Shinto-171 (Hawley "181"),Tokuno 467,TTR 612 and TTR 616. There is no doubt about it: GIMEI. Sorry Ludolf PS.I have added your Mei after photoshopping your pic

Because Tatara Nagayuki (Hawley NAG 562,Settsu and Kii,Enpo and Tenwa Era,Yasunaga School) is a "big name",one has to reckon with Gimei.Here are some sources to check the authenticy of the Mei: -Tokuno p.467 -Fujishiro/Shinto p.181 -Iida -Yoshu to Zuroku 1 (YTZ 1) -74 -Token to Rekishi (TTR) 612 and 616 -29th Juyo Tokubetsu -Ogasawara,Shinto,Nr.62 -others? Ludolf

Why don't you tell the forum,what problems you have with Hirado Kunishige,in order to share the knowledge of our experts. I do have problems with him: 1.There are differences with the quality of the "Hirado-Kunishige"-pieces in the books 2.There are differences with the signatures in the books 3.Haynes mentions Japanese sources,that there may have been a 2nd or even 3rd generation I have no idea,whether my well-made "Hirado-Kunishige"-Kozuka is authentic or faked.Ludolf

Hi Fred,here are some examples from my database.I post them here.Ludolf

All my examples in my database (all shoshin-mei) show slightly different seals/stamps.If the Tsuba was made by a Tosogu artist other than Joi (in order to get more money than for the ones with his own Go),why did he not use the "Joi"-mei but a seldom used Go and why add the stamp "Nagaharu" to the "Joi"-seal?! I believe,a faker would use the common big-name-signature.Ludolf

Hi,it's probably a genuine work of Joi,signing with only Issan (most pieces with both Issan and Joi).I like it!Ludolf

Here are both pieces.Ludolf

The rim is different and my piece has more stars on the backside.I have not yet tried to find the origin of my Tsuba.Mino or ??Ludolf

Hi Martin,I have a Tsuba,which is nearly identical to yours!Look at the pic.Ludolf

Hi!The 1st Kanji,without the upper part to be seen,is probably Yoshi 義,so it's Yoshimitsu.I have checked the Mei of the 2 Koto guys from Bizen,YOS 1563 and 1565.The writing is similar,but it's not from them.There are some more 義光 without references where to look.Ludolf

It's the Mino guy,H01089: -Kokubo & Masumoto,Kinko Meikan,page 382 r. -Kokubo,Shin-san Kinko Meikan,page 313 l Ludolf

It could be Hidemoto from Mino,Haynes H 01089,D.:ca.1850.Let's wait for the other pics.Ludolf

Hi,forget my last entry:here is the new one with 2 more students and minor corrections.I have not yet mentioned,that some sources make Masatsugu the founder of the Yanagawa school:he being the 1st gen.,Naomasa 2nd,Naomitsu 3rd and Naoharu 4th gen.,but that's today a minority.For most experts Naomasa is the true founder of the school. Ludolf Naomasa直成 H06690-the founder of the Yanagawa 柳川 -School.1692-1757 His sons and students: Naomasa直将 H06695 "1st son" （e.g.Kinko Jiten and Haynes) of Yanagawa Naomasa直成,"died young",D.ca.1750-1775.B.W.Robinson in the Baur Coll.as Naofuru.According to other sources Naomasa直成 H06690 had no son.His existence remains a mystery! Naoharu 直春 H06610 "2nd son" (many sources!) of Yanagawa Naomasa直成,born 1750,died ?Probably not a son of Naomasa,because his wife (a daughter of Yokoya Somin or-Sesko-a housemaid of the Yokoya-houshold) was already too old!The SOKAN KISHO from 1781 makes Naoharu the son of Naotsugu 直次 H06835,others -like Kinko Meikan and now Martin Sesko in his Genealogies-the son of Naohisa 直故 H06636 and the daughter of Naomasa直成 H06690.According to Sesko,Naoharu was one year old when his father Naohisa 直故 died.The same source presents a marriage between the widow and Naomitsu直光 H06717 .Naoharu was probably adopted by Naomitsu直光 ,while Shinkishi Hara made him (translated from German) only his "fatherly guardian" .He became a student and (Hara) an "assistent" of Naomitsu. Naohisa 直故 H06636 Adopted son of Naomasa,1716-1751.Probably the father of Naoharu:see above by Naoharu. (Shimizu) Naotsugu 直次 H06835 See above by Naoharu:son of Naomasa or brother of Naoharu or ? D.ca.1775 Naomitsu直光 H06717 1733-1808 (1809?) Adopted son of Naomasa and probably married with 's Naomasa's 直成 H06690 daughter:see above by NaoharuAccording to nearly every source he became the successor of Naomasa直成 as head of the Yanagawa Ha ,later followed by Naoharu,when he (early!) retired:Naomasa 1st gen.,Naomitsu 2nd gen. and Naoharu 3rd gen.The Kinko Meikan with his genealogical tree places Naohisa 直故 H06636 between Naomasa's 直成 and Naomitsu直光,which is strange,because Naomasa直成 was still active when Naohisa died. Other students of Yanagawa Naomasa直成 H06690: Naokatsu 直克 H06652 Son of Naoshige,1719-1761 Naokatsu 直勝 H06664 D.ca.1775 Naotoshi 直俊 H06818 Born 1740 Naoshige 直茂 H06765 D.till 1750 (Kato) Naotsune直常H06850 D.ca.1775　 Naonori 直矩 H06751 Became the founder of the Konakamura school..D.ca.1775 (Takano) Naoshige 直重 H06769 D.ca.1775 (Morikawa) Naotoshi 直利 H06881 Dates 1764-1771 (Inobushi) Naohisa 直久 H06636 D.ca.1775 (Yamamoto) Naotaka 直隆H06789 I found 2 more,but with doubtful Data: Naofusa (H06600) and Naosumi (H06776) 　

Hi all,I have modified my first entry.Ludolf Naomasa直成 H06690-the founder of the Yanagawa 柳川 -School.1692-1757 His sons and students: Naomasa直将 H06695 "1st son" of Yanagawa Naomasa直成,"died young",D.ca.1750-1775.B.W.Robinson in the Baur Coll.as Naofuru.According to other sources Naomasa直成 H06690 had no son.The identity of Naomasa直将 H06695 remains a mystery! Naoharu 直春 H06610 "2nd son" (many sources!) of Yanagawa Naomasa,born 1750,died ?Probably not a son of Naomasa,because his wife (a daughter of Yokoya Somin) was already too old!The SOKAN KISHO from the 18th Century make Naoharu the son of Naotsugu 直次 H06835,others -like Martin Sesko in his Genealogies-the son of Naohisa 直故 H06636 and the daughter of Naomasa直成 H06690.According to this source,Naoharu was one year old when his father Naohisa 直故 died.The same source presents a marriage between the widow and Naomitsu直光 H06717 .Naoharu was probably adopted by Naomitsu直光 ,while Shinkishi Hara made him (translated from German) only his "fatherly guardian" .He became a student of Naomitsu. Naohisa 直故 H06636 Adopted son of Naomasa,1716-1751.Probably the father of Naoharu:see above by Naoharu. Naotsugu 直次 H06835 See by Naoharu:son of Naomasa or brother of Naoharu !? Naomitsu直光 H06717 1733-1808 (1809?) Adopted son of Naomasa and probably married with Naomasa's 直成 H06690 daughter:see above by Naoharu He probably became the successor of Naomasa as head of the Yanagawa Ha ,later followed by Naoharu,when he retired:Naomasa 1st gen.,Naomitsu 2nd gen. and Naoharu 3rd gen. Other students of Yanagawa Naomasa直成 H06690: Naokatsu 直克 H06652 Son of Naoshige,1719-1761 Naokatsu 直勝 H06664 D.ca.1775 Naotoshi 直俊 H06818 Born 1740 Naoshige 直茂 H06765 D.till 1750 Naonori 直矩 H06751 Became the founder of the Konakamura school..D.ca.1775 (Takano) Naoshige 直重 H06769 D.ca.1775 (Morikawa) Naotoshi 直利 H06881 Dates 1764-1771 (Inobushi) Naohisa 直久 H06636 D.ca.1775 I found 2 more,but with doubtful Data: Naofusa (H06600) and Naosumi (H06776) 　

Thanks Thierry,I saw the site,but it's not on their book-site where one can order.Ludolf

Hi Markus! Thank you for your statement and your fine books!I have forgotten from what source I had the Naomasa 直将 H06695-data,it was at least 10 years before the Haynes Index.It is quite astonishing,that experts like Shinkishi Hara make "my" Naoharu a son of Yanagawa Naomasa 直成 H06690.Is it possible that he adopted his own grandchild,if Naoharu was in fact the son of his daughter and Naohisa 直故 H06636 or Naotsugu 直次 H06835 (or someone else?!),after she became a widow?! There are enough examples when an adopted son was made successor and not the own sons,if they didn't have the talent for the head of the family Ha. I have forgotten also,where I have read,that Yanagawa Naomasa's 直成 wife was a daughter of Yokoya Somin and not-as you wrote-a housemaid of the Yokoya-household.One unsolved question is also,from where B.W.Robinson got his 2nd gen."Naofuru"!Ludolf

Thank you Thomas!About 20 years ago I tried to get the book,but had no luck.Lateron I had him forgotten,when I had bought the books of the big names.Yesterday I checked google:nobody has this book for sale.Ludolf

Hi all,today a got Markus Sesko's brand-new book in German "Lexikon der japanischen toso-kinko-Schulen".In his book "Genealogies..." there is the remark to Naoharu "some see Naohisa,others Naotsugu as his father". Now his story is,that Naomasa had no son,so he adopted Naohisa,who married his daughter,and Naoharu became their son.He died when Naohisa was one year old.Now Naomasa adopted Naomitsu,who married Naohisa's widow (Naomasa's daughter) and Naomitsu adopted Naoharu.When Naomasa died in 1757,Naomitsu became his successor (2nd gen.),later to be followed by Naoharu (3rd gen.),when he retired. That sounds plausible,but there is a genealogical tree on page 182,where Sesko states that according to the "Soken Kisho" Naotsugu is Naoharu's true father! My question is,were remains Naomasa H06695,who is said to be the 1st son of the Yanagawa founder Naomasa?!Ludolf