CSM101

Both sides as a download: http://daten-transport.de/?id=N69VRgD8ExA6 Uwe G.

More photos. Uwe G.

Dear members, it´s Aprils Fool´s Day and I found a sword right for this moment. Osuriage mumei, nagasa 57,2 cm, motohaba 25,5 mm, sakihaba 17,0 mm and sori 13 mm. There is a kinzogan mei. Please compare both sides hamon and boshi. I´ll give the answer on Wednesday. Uwe G.

I think I found a sword with almost the same effect. Look at the left side. Uwe G.

Once again the same Yoshiro tsuba, but this time colorcorrected. Uwe G. deleted on request

Oh, I forgot to write, that Prof. Kremers held a lecture about Tosho and Katchushi tsuba. Unfortunately my memory card was full and my mobile camera didn´t work. Maybe someone else can bring up some photos. I only have from my archive a Iyekuni and my all-time-favorite-Yoshiro-tsuba, that was for sale. Uwe G.

Dear members, the meeting in Nuremberg was very well attended with 35 persons. The theme was kirikomi, or battle scars on swords. Mr. Kurzweil held a lecture and demonstrates some of the reasons for kirikomi. In one moment I thought Mr. E would loose his right leg, but fortunately nothing happend. No blood were spilled. Six swords with battle scars were on display. In the next round choji and choji midare hamon were shown. Eight swords were shown: Fukuoka Ichimonji -Juyo token Ichimonji Sukezane - Juyo token Heki Mitsuhira Tango no Kami Kanemichi Bizen Yokoyama Sukenaga Yasuyuki Hizen Kunihiro and one I forgot. Sorry. Uwe G. The rest of the photos can be found here: https://www.nihontophoto.com/nbthk-treffen-18-03-2017

I think there are several reasons why Darcy/Ted won´t do that. My guess is, they use a Sigma 105 macro with f14, ISO 125. And this is the point with the best results. I prefer f11. From a tecnical aspect it wouldn´t make sense to make the shots with a f26. Next point photostacking: Please don´t forget, that Darcy is a highend sword dealer. And with just the slighest hint of manipulating your photos you can loose your reputation. I think that is too much of a risk. And the last point: Think about how much you will be impressed, when you hold the sword in your hands. Uwe G.

Norishige Uwe G.

Sorry, I forgot. Well, first of all: sugata. It is a relatively short wakizashi with a longer chu kissaki. That tells us Shinto. Then there is a beautiful texture such like in this sword. Koitame-hada well grained with jinie attached and small chikei = Osaka Shinto. The hamon has an active deep nioiguchi in gunome midare. Boshi ca not be seen. My fault, once again. And the last point: you have a long signature close to the mune and osujikai yasurime. Hence: Oya Kunisada. Uwe G.

Okay, I know I´m late. But here is the answer. And it is: Izumi no Kami Fujiwara Kunisada; a.k.a. Oya Kunisada. Congratulations for all with the right answer and for all with a close answer. I know, that the quality of the photos were not the best. So, if you didn´t hit the name, blame it on me. Sorry! Uwe G.

Not anymore. The blade is back to it´s owner. Sorry. Uwe G.

Dear Stefan and Bazza, here are some more pictures. Boshi and and enhanced version of a part of the blade. The boshi is straight from the camera. Only the background was made black. Uwe G.

Dear members, once again you have the chance to proof your skills in kantei. Nagasa 46,5 cm, motohabe 3,3 cm, sakihaba 2,3 cm. I will post the answer next Saturday. Uwe G.

With a little help from CSI Wladiwostok I could make a little bit more visible. But more than Izumi no Kami (?) is not possible. If you want a better photo from the signature you need a hard and bright light from the side. Uwe G.

And the answer is: Tamba no Kami Yoshimichi. Uwe G.

Dear Members, this is a chance to proof your own skills in kantei again, before the real changelling kantei from Rayhan can start. Good idea, by the way. So: nagasa 53,3 cm, motohaba 3,5 cm, sakihaba 2,7 cm, yasurime osujikai. On the omote is a long signature close to the mune and another inscription in gold. Weight: 660 g. I will post the answer 12.02. Good luck! Uwe G.

Of course we do both. But we start with the sword on the right. Next week or so... Uwe G.

Okay. Pick one. Left or right? Uwe G.

Gentlemen, please come to an end. 3…….2……1. Time is up! I really thought, that this was to easy. Because the answer is: Bishu Osafune Morimitsu and Oei something So congratulations to Wim and Chango. And to all, who tried to solve the puzzle. But what are the points to come to this conclusion? Very well, it is the combination of a slim, elegant sugata, the mix of itame with mokume and the nioi-based hamon with notare, midare and choji with a tight nioiguchi. If you see something like that you almost know that this is Oei Bizen at it´s best. At this time three smith (SanMitsu) worked in Bizen – Morimitsu, Moromitsu and Yasumitsu. So, if you have chosen one of them, then I would say that you hit the pot. And whoever has a -Mitsu in his solution. Muromachi Sukesada is an elegant solution. But overall the Muromachi Sukesadas worked later and were inferior in quality. Sukesada is more robust. The tapering is not so much. Muromachi Takada is equally good. Next time, please take a closer look. The sugata for Takada is not so elegant and the hamon is not so wild but more uniform. The boshi is different, too. Fun fact: the blade once belonged to John Yumoto, author of “The Samurai Sword – A Handbook” I know, that you need to hold a sword in hand to make a proper kantei. So I have chosen a very easy example. The next kantei is open for everyone. And more puzzling. And now for something completely different: What did you win? First of all: experience. Kantei is something you have to make often. Read books and compare. Take some good swords in your hand. Learning by doing is the motto. And the next is: Each one of you, who gave his opinion got a PM with a download link for the HiRes-Version of the photo (14 MB as JPEG). Because this is Kantei! And in Kantei you can only win. I hope, you enjoyed it. I have a GlenAllachie from 1996 by now. Uwe G.

Me, too.

@ggil: Sorry, that happened after scaling, because ura was smaller than omote. My fault! In reality it is the same. The final version will be perfect then. Closing time is 02.02.2017. Hey guys, 111 views and no answer?! This is an example right from the books. Just a lttle story: at the last meeting we had a kantei and I gave an answer 800 miles from the right spot. But at least I had the guts to give an anwser. Okay, I had to cut off my left little finger as a punishment. Uwe G.

Dear members, in the past Jean sometimes tried to improve our knowledge by posting some photos for kantei. Now I have a photo of a blade for a kantei, too. Nagasa: 48,3 cm, motohaba: 3,0 cm, sakihaba 1,9 cm. This is a kantei for beginners. So only for member with 100 posts and less. It´s easy and it makes fun. Don´t worry, when you are wrong. This is learning by doing. Please post your answer. I will make an explanation in a few days. Have fun! Uwe G. If you want to download the photo: http://daten-transport.de/?id=AK8PCRnqWq5x

Dear fellow Members, the meeting in Bonn was well attended as always. And because of the Year of the rooster it was a special theme for kodogu. The other theme was fittings from the Muromachi era. For rooster there was a daisho tsuba pair from Ishiguro Masatsugu and some menuki. And for Muromachi fittings: Ko Tosho and Tosho, Onin, Yoshiro, a pair of fuchi/kashira, etc. And this time some very beautiful swords were on display: #1 = Yamaura Kanetora, Kiyomaro-school, son of Saneo #2 = Sekishu Sadatsuna #3 = a signed tachi Ko-Bizen Chikakane, Tokubetso Juyo token in perfect condition. There are only two signed blades existing. #4 = Jitsua, Juyo token, Son of Sairen and father of O-Sa #5 = a wonderful utsushi of Yamatorige by Ono Yoshimitsu It was a great meeting and I want to thank all the members who brought the swords and kodogu. The rest of the photos you can find here: http://www.nihontophoto.com/nbthktreffen2801 Uwe G.

Dear Admins, if I violate any copyrights, then please delete this post. But here is the famous photo from Fujishiro-san explaining Nie and Nioi. The text is in german. But I think it is selfexplaining. Uwe G.