CSM101

Just another two for comparison. The first was Token Bijutsu 551. And now 666 and 758 in 2 posts.

A Bizen Nobufusa for comparison.

What is this now? A new game: "Facts and the Fundamentalist"? Okay, here the translation from Leon and Hiroko Kapp.

Not Tomomitsu but Koyama Munetsugu. Just in case...

I know, I know.... No one wants to read it anymore, but in the end it is very simple. This is the ofificial translation from NBTHK., 796. Just search for midare or midare hamon. At least they think that something like midare hamon exists. Sorry for that! Back in my armchair. 796_NBTHK_May_2023.pdf

You wrote, that hataraki can be ignored. So, please ignore them and then come back.

This is just a try to explain some things. Jacques, you get an mission. A special mission. An Impossible Mission: take the Norishige and delete all the kinsuji and hataraki on the omote. Then come back and explain why hatarakis are not important. For a man who can´t recognize chikei that´s a though mission. I know that was mean, but you earned it. See here: For the rest we come to a very old problem. To explain that, we have to go back in time. Roundabout 150 to 100 years. That was the time when a lot of great collections were build. Mosle, Brinckmann, Jacoby, Kümmel for Germany, Docteur Mene in France, and so on... What did they collect? Mostly armor and kodogu. Only a few swords. Because they knew, that swords is a special thing with special vocabulary. For a better understanding I recommend Oskar Münsterberg "Japanische Kunstgeschichte III, Berlin 1907- Japanese Art history) It begins on page 113 = Weapons. The problem is, that we have Japanese terms to explain Japanese art. But the terms are of technical nature. And that´s the problem: how can you explain what art is? Especially when it comes to swords. " Painted wood. You see a young woman in her 20. Black hair, and in the background you can see an italian landscape. Ther woman seems to smile." That is La Gioconda or Mona Lisa. How do you explain with words that you see the greatest painting in time? Okay, you have Dürer´s self portrait and Hironymos Bosch. But you see what I mean. The german collectors never understood why a Japanese sword can be an object of art. And Münsterberg admitted it. All the books we try to understand are not for us, the westerner. They are written for a Japanese collector. Nagyyama is for beginners to amateurs. Not for pro´s. That is our level. And all the technical terms and descriptions you have to read with "cum grano salis". Means: not to be taken too serious. Jacques enters the stage: we have to read it word by word and only that is the way! A lot of technical terms for a piece of art. And how do we solve this problem? You have to see the swords in hand. And you need someone that can explain what you see. That is the way! And Jacques: I`m waiting for your answer and the picture. Uwe G.

Dear Colin, Jacques is more or less insignificant. But I can´t let is stand undisputed. I write for all the others here just to show that there are other sources and other opinions. And when you are silent things get worse. So, better to write and show some pics than stay silent and let Jacques come up with something that is totally wrong. I can only hope that none of the Japanese experts read here. "Died while laughing" would be in the death certificate. And Jacques would the reason.

Dear Thomas, all that you write is right. But you have to contradict Jacques because here are less experienced people. You have to say what ist right and what is wrong. Imagine you go to the Sword Museum and you hold a sword as Jacques says. There is a deep river right in front of the Museum. No one will ever find you...

Of course o-midare and ko midare are not the same thing. But the question is: hamon or characteristic? Nagayama says both are hamon; you say it is just a characteristic. Whom would you trust: an author or the selfclaimed greatest expert for Japanese swords outside Japan? That must be you, because you are always right and no one else. And what do you do, when the hatarakis are the hamon just like here in the case of Norishige. Or when the hamon is full of hatarakis like in any top-level Soshu blade? Ignore it? Yukimitsu, Masamune, Norishige, Kunimitsu, Hiromitsu. Don´t you see, that you write things that are wrong right from the start? I know your problem. But you will never solve it because you can´t cross the invisible border.

Dear Jacques, I don`t know if that even counts as an intellectual argument. But let´s be generous: No! Because this is how a discussion works. You come up with arguments. Based on facts or not. So, all you need to do is: Prove me wrong! And if you don´t or can´t then I must be right. I´m waiting in my office, different armchair and no whisky. So, display your arguments. The stage is yours.

Dear Jacques, I am sitting in my armchair, drinking a whisky (Laphroaig, 10 years, cask strength) and i read your posts. Either you just want to provoke contradiction for your self esteem or you are clueless. But I doubt the clueless label. Nummer 1: hold the blade horizontal with the edge down to study the hamon. I have never heard, read or seen something like that. Maybe you can do that at home. Alone in your attic. But at a meeting? Handle & care? Etiquette? Ever heard about it. Please show me a description where it is allowed to hold a sword as you recommend. Number 2: midare is not a hamon but a characteristic. Well, Kokan Nagayama page 96 says something different. And page 105 and 106 give examples for midare hamon and schools to the different kinds of midare. By the way: what is sanbonsugi? A hamon, a characteristic, both, none of them? And now number 3: only the hamon drawing is required, the hataraki can be ignored. Good luck! With greetings from the armchair Uwe G.

A friend of mine had the same problem. It took him 5 years to find a matching blade (Bizen Osafune Katsumitsu). But it was worth it. What is the length of the tsunagi?