ENJYU TAROH NOBUSHIGE.

[deskjet]

Hi i have avery nice gendai tanto signed ENJYU TAROH NOBUSHIGE. i have some scetchy information about him ,i beleve he made a sword for the emporer in 1949 and was expert in making JYUMONJI-YARI other that that i know very little,if any one can add to this i would be grateful

thanks Anthony

[AndreasU]

Sorry to say,but looks like a kitchen knife :D

[Stephen]

does it look like a Kitchen knife???? :?

[Rich T]

is a good one. I think many folk jump to the "it's a fake" conclusion too quickly these day's without taking the time needed to make a case for one opinion or another. I think part of the reason for this is probably Ebay, Yahoo and the likes, where we expect to see fakes en mass, on a daily basis and we start to become a little jaded. Another reason could well be laziness. We just do not take the time to look closely enough before passing judgement.

 

Take the time to smell the roses says I :-)

 

Sorry I cannot tell you much about Nobushige Anthony, other than it looks like a nice tanto.

 

Cheers

 

Rich

[Nobody]

How did you know that it was signed "ENJYU TAROH NOBUSHIGE"?

The smith's name on the nakago is only Nobuyoshi (延嘉).

[Ken-Hawaii]

It has a very lovely & interesting hamon, Anthony. I hope that someone can make a positive identification of the smith, because I'd love to find a tanto just like it! If that's a kitchen knife, I want a whole set!!

 

Can you please tell me where you found &/or bought it? And the approximate price? Thanks!

[Henry Wilson]

One query, I thought that all sword making was banned up to the early 1950's (1953 ish). If so, was it possible that a smith could make a sword for the emporer in 1949?

[Nobody]

The smith's name on the nakago is Nobuyoshi (延嘉).

 

Thanks to ToShoW, I found who Nobuyoshi (延嘉) is.

He is late Keith Austin. His another mei was Nobuhira (延平).

http://www.ncjsc.org/article_keith_austin.htm

 

(He came to Japan in 1961. Its year of the database for Nobuyoshi saying 1938 must be a typo.)

[Stephen]

a big hand to Moriyama sama for once more giving us great background on a smith and correct reading.

 

I'm sorry for being a bit snide in my first post on this, I do think this is a fine tanto and one to be proud of, it may have have been Nobuyoshi-san's tribute to a blade such as the Muramasa that I posted. I'll get in line with Ken if you find any more KITCHEN KNIFES like this.

[Brian]

Ok...I'm confused now :?

So the OP (original poster) thinks this is by Nobushige, but it appears to be a Keith Austin blade instead?

What is the full translation of the nakago, both sides?

 

Btw..if it is a Nobuyoshi by Mr Austin, then that to me is a bonus. I think his works are fairly sought after in the West, and nice to own one.

 

Good words from Rich about not jumping to confusions too easily when it comes to fakes. Easy for a real blade in bad condition to look like a fake, but not so easy for a fake to look like a real sword. (None of which applies in this case anyways, as there is nothing fake looking about this tanto )

 

Regards,

Brian

[Nobody]

Ok...I'm confused now :?

So the OP (original poster) thinks this is by Nobushige, but it appears to be a Keith Austin blade instead?

What is the full translation of the nakago, both sides?

Omote:

Ryusen sensei horu kore (龍泉先生彫之) = Ryusen sensei carved this.

 

Ura:

Showa san-ju hachi nen (昭和丗八年) = 1963

Oite Matsuyama (於松山) = at Matsuyama

Nobuyoshi (延嘉)

[Guido]

Not trying to put words into Andreas' mouth, but I think he was joking about this Tanto looking somehow like a hocho ("kitchen knife") Masamune Utsushimono - at least that was my ininitial impression.

[Nobody]

One query, I thought that all sword making was banned up to the early 1950's (1953 ish). If so, was it possible that a smith could make a sword for the emporer in 1949?

It appears that Enju Taro Nobushige (延寿太郎宣繁) presented his sword to the Emperor of Showa in 1928 for the Emperor's enthronement ceremony. However, any sword smith could present his sword for the ceremony if he wished, and the Imperial Household Agency at that time would not refuse the offer.

[pcfarrar]

Can you please tell me where you found &/or bought it? And the approximate price? Thanks!

 

I remember seeing this tanto on ebay, it didn't sell for much more than $1000 I think.

 

Well done Anthony you got a good bargain :D

[deskjet]

i would like to thank al the members for their input i could never have imagined t would have turned out so interesting.i paid $1500 for the tanto ,it was on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1 it was in fact a post by Peter in which he highligted 3or 4 tantos that maybe of interest so i have him to thank ,i have posted afew more photos.Thanks again

Anthony

[Brian]

So is this confirmed to be by the Nobuyoshi that is Keith Austin?

If so...I would imagine it was one made by him when he was still in Japan?

Does this match the other examples of his mei?

Nice one Anthony..a good find.

 

Regards,

Brian

[Nobody]

Lastly, maybe good news.

 

It seems that "Ryusen sensei (teacher 龍泉)" who carved the Horimono was Takahashi Sadatsugu (高橋貞次) himself. He had been the teacher of Keith Austin and was a living national treasure.

 

According to the info on the web page below, Takahashi Sadatsugu inscribed his mei as follows;

"高橋貞次作", "龍王子源貞次", "真鍛龍泉貞次造", "龍泉入道貞次造", etc.

http://www.samurai-nippon.net/V-200/

http://joho.ehime-iinet.or.jp/syogai/ji ... ml/043.htm

[deskjet]

Hi Koichi,

Thank you for all the exellent information,i have been reasearching Keith Austin and i believe he was licenced to make swords in 1968 ,as the date on the blade is 1963 does this mean he made this before he was licenced, although some of the dates i have come across seem to make much sense ,he went Japan i1961 and worked with Sadatsuga for 2 years ,would this be enough time to learn to make such a good blade .

Anthony :?

[Nobody]

i have been reasearching Keith Austin and i believe he was licenced to make swords in 1968 ,as the date on the blade is 1963 does this mean he made this before he was licenced, although some of the dates i have come across seem to make much sense ,he went Japan i1961 and worked with Sadatsuga for 2 years ,would this be enough time to learn to make such a good blade .

I think it was probable. See the post of Mr. Douglas Louie on the following thread.

http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=44763

[Stephen]

the find if this was the tanto Dougles Louie says was sold to a Japanese collector and papered. Ill be proud to hold it in my hand for submitting to shinsa.

[Stever]

Seriously...how cool is that? Sweet blade with a well-known and interesting history. I'd love to hold such a blade in my hand.

 

cheers,

/steve

[Stephen]

Tanto arived, two scans for your records....very nice work....your blessed Tony

[Brian]

So this one was bought off eBay for $1500?

Looks like we were all sleeping that day :D

Peter..well recommended to Anthony.

 

Brian

[bdgrange]

http://www.ncjsc.org/article_keith_austin.htm

 

Keith Austin is remembered fondly by many who knew him in

Northern California.

Here is a memorial posted about him.

You are most fortunate to own this piece.

The Sacramento club is putting together a book about him and his work

as a memorial, I believe.

 

regards

bdgrange

[deskjet]

hI,

I am indeed fortunate to own the blade ,the book you refer to is to be published and there are plans being made( Stephen one of the board members in U.S.A) is organising plans to get the blade photographed and then if the blade is definatley Keith Austin published in the book.

I feel very lucky and privaledged to have this blade I am not an American i am from England but i can imagine how proud you must feel about Keith Austin, i will treasure the blade and keep it safe for future generations to enjoy.

regards

Anthony

[Stephen]

a update

I have had a nice long talk with a Todd Price who btw works under the name Nobutusgu and was a student of Keith Austin, he is quite confidant of the mei of Nobuyoshi being Keith's. He at his forge now and will post a line or two when he gets back to his house. This also in a letter from Douglas Louie Pre's of the SJSC with the fallowing pix ...the letter in part>

 

Hello Stephen,

 

Yes, I have been in contact with Todd and Wayne and we have been discussing this in detail....

 

We all believe that based on the pictures, this could be the work of Keith Austin, however this was done earlier when he was working with Takahashi Sadatsugu, just before Takahashi became ill. Keith signed Nobuyoshi at this time......Keith then went to finish off his apprenticeship with Miyairi Akihira and his name was changed to Nobuhira. Again this is all based on the pictures, and not actual in-hand study....

 

Keith completed his apprenticeship and obtained his sword smiths license in 1971.

 

Though the style of this tanto is different that we we have seen in most of his existing work, we are in agree that this maybe due to the style he was taught from Takahashi.....vs. what style he was taught by Miyairi......

 

We are still very interested in getting some high quality pictures of the tanto if possible. We would like to study the tanto as much as we can....

 

Does the owner have any other information on this tanto, other papers, where he obtained the tanto from, other provenance? For most of Keith's blades we have currently, most were obtained directly from Keith...so any information on this tanto would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you would, please forward to the owner, our request to get their permission to possibly include this tanto in the book our club is doing on Keith "Nobuhira" Austin.

 

Greatly appreciated!!!

 

Thanks again Stephen!!!

 

Douglas Louie, President

Sacramento Japanese Sword Club<

 

Anthony's Nobuyoshi will be photographed next wed. and after approval from Tony ill post a pix here.

 

Once more we have this board along with Moriyama-sama to thank for bringing this information to light.

Job well done Koichi san

 

Stay tuned more to come.

 

Three pieces of Nobuhira's latest works (two tanto and 1 wakizashi)

[Stephen]

fallow up, after papering at shinsa it was sent to NCJSC for the show that year, then Todd sent it back to Tony. that is me praying to Nihonto gods to come my way again.

[k morita]

Great thread !!