kantei

[Darcy]

I will start out the content with a kantei. Click on the image for a large version.

 

Answer:

 

1. period

2. tradition

3. swordsmith

 

[Henry Wilson]

1. Period. Hard to tell with no idea of the length. Either Muromachi or Kamakura based on the koshi sori and the funabari, but the kissaki is slightly long to medium and the funabari is not so strong so I will say late Muromachi period.

 

2. Tradition. The jihada looks like large itame. There is alot of activity in the hamon which looks midare ko choji based on nioi. There is inazuma etc present and there is lots of ji nie. Let us say Bizen. The lack of usturi can be attributed to the Muromachi period as Bizen swords lost distinct usturi around then.

 

3. Swordsmith. The quality is very high so how about Yozaemon Sukesada? :?

[Stephen]

i hope all us aol'ers dont have this problem all the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[Brian]

Stephen,

 

Do you mean you can see the posted pic, but it won't open to a larger one?

If so..then I don't think it is an AOL issue..I can't open the larger image either. I think you have a broken link there Darcy.

 

Thanks for the kantei..I enjoy them and am going to encourage them.

Maybe some measurements?

I understand the criticisms of online kantei, but I feel they are a worthwhile learning tool and are by no means a replacement for "in the hand personal and official" kantei processes. Just a bit of fun that we can learn from.

 

Brian

[Keith Larman]

The link to the larger image contains an extra forward slash at the end of the link which makes it look for a directory rather than a file. The following is the correct link.

 

http://www.nihonto.ca/kantei-l.jpg

[Stephen]

first time it was just a red x...not sure why but if i leave and comeback seems to help.

[Brian]

Thanks Keith...fixed the link. Dunno how I missed that

Good to have you here.

 

Stephen...I'm doing some research on this AOL thing. It is a known problem with image verification, but not sure why it is happening with attached images. Try refreshing the page and see if that loads the image?

Email me and keep me posted if this happens often.

 

Brian

[Darcy]

The length of the cutting edge is 70cm.

 

About the link, I tested it in the preview. It worked fine then, and then I posted... I don't know if it got added somehow in the preview process. I usually do this on the old board by typing in my own HTML but HTML is turned off on this board, so I had to use BBCode.

 

If you can enable HTML that is a better option, but it can be abused by posters... generally with Nihonto guys this has never been the case on the old board so it is probably OK.

 

Another odd thing is that the first time I tried to reply to something I got kicked out to the main page. Just now I tried to quote Brian and got kicked out to the main page again. Bit strange.

 

With the length of the sword in hand you can now properly evaluate your decisions on period.

 

A couple of further hints:

 

1. Reading the sword as a large patterned itame is correct. Re-confirm what patterns Sue Bizen is usually associated with.

 

2. The hamon is suguba with ashi forming gunome and choji shapes in places, but all based within suguba.

[Henry Wilson]

Sorry but I can't open the picture of the sword with the new link posted above! It could very well be me as I am not so good with PCs, and kantei too as Sue Bizen is a fine ko mokume. With the new info I will try again.

[Brian]

It's not the board this time..I think Darcy's 2 links are down. Can't load nihonto.ca at all..so maybe just down for maintenance?

As soon as the site is up, the pics will load. I have allowed most html tags now, so you should be able to use them with very few exceptions.

 

Sorry your kantei is ending up being a test post.

 

Brian

[Darcy]

Grr. I got kicked out to the front page again.

 

Yes, my website was down. There's something wrong with my server, and it's gone flaky for the last month. I've asked them to move me to a more reliable machine.

 

Anyway, since there seems to be no action on giving a kantei for this piece, I will provide the answer.

 

The shape in torii-zori with a consistent and graceful curvature is associated with the late Kamakura period. Muromachi period swords do recall this shape sometimes and so it can be hard to tell the difference between an o-suriage Kamakura and a longer Muromachi unshortened piece. Though the typical Muromachi sword would be more saki-zori, there are many exceptions.

 

Because the sword is o-suriage, you won't see fumbari, but you should note the slow and graceful taper. Less taper would make it middle Kamakura or middle Muromachi period. Bohi might help you towards an earlier sword that is o-suriage, since the bohi are there to lighten the piece and the shorter made muromachi swords have less need for them. So it might help you think the sword may have been made larger. Especially since the hi continue on into the nakago with no interruption, where mostly hi will terminate above the machi (again, exceptions where some are made with hi that go through the nakago). This is about looking for clues that seem to add up into a sensible pattern.

 

Chu-kissaki is right for the late Kamakura as well.

 

Large patterned itame should always be evaluated against Soshu den. If there are large and visible chikei, this is a good sign that we are looking at Soshu. These two combined should always make you think this first, while Sue Bizen is something that you would be thinking if you saw ko-itame without any visible chikei (again, there are always exceptions, these statements are about playing the odds).

 

In the late Kamakura period we see suguba being produced in the four traditions existing at the time. Itame is also in the same four traditions, but you would see ko-itame in Yamashiro, and a smaller pattern than this in Osafune work. So from looking at the o-itame you would have to accept Soshu or possibly Yamato (most importantly Taima).

 

From the hamon in suguba in those four traditions, Osafune is tending towards nioi at this point, so nie as is visible in this sword would not be right. Yamashiro would be more elegant, with a tight hamon and then small ashi without the brash sunagashi and thick nie of this sword.

 

Taima did make swords like this as well so again we're in a difficult place between Taima and Soshu. Looking at the hamon, there is not so much evidence of hotsure and uchinoke, but moreover the nie are sublime and soft, rather than bold and harsh. This is the inheritence of Awataguchi in Soshu, this control over the nie and is the hallmark of the top Soshu smiths to be able to do this. So from this we give the nod to Soshu.

 

The sense that it could go to Taima also helps point the way to the smith... one Soshu smith is very famous for working in suguba, and this is Yukimitsu. He is the earliest of the three late Kamakura grand-masters, the other two being Norishige and Masamune, neither of which is known for suguba work. All three are taught by Shintogo Kunimitsu who also specializes in suguba, and Yukimitsu being older than the other two may have more reason then to be working in suguba, with the midareba coming on halfway through his career.

 

The best work of Taima is sometimes confused for work of Yukimitsu and in this case that can help confirm where we arrive at. The sword is Soshu Yukimitsu.

 

There's a Taima on my website, it can be illustrative to look at the photos there and examine the larger and harsher nie present on the sword.

 

Now I have to finish my listing since the Yukimitsu is up for sale :-).

[Darcy]

Yukimitsu:

 

 

Taima:

 

[Henry Wilson]

That was quick!!!! I was just going to have another bash at it. I hope for more such kantei if possible. Thanks Darcy for sharing.

 

Can I also add that because a computer can make viewing details in pictures clearly a little difficult, if the vital statistics were provided such as nagasa, jihada, hamon etc along with the picture, it may make the excercise a little more easier and straight forward especially for us newbies, thus possibly getting more of a response.....

 

I know that part of kantei is analysising a piece but I think it is only possible to do this accturately if you are holding the piece.

 

Just my two pennies worth.

[Darcy]

Henry you're entirely right. I hadn't posted one in a long time so I forgot some of the basics that should be supplied.

[Henry Wilson]

Thanks for the reply Darcy. The kantei are really appreciated and I always like to try them as they are great for learning. Will there be anymore in the near future do you think

[Leroy]

I must take my hat off to you. Your photos and knowledge are very inspiring to us, especially us newbies. I'm looking forward to your future kantai. I just hope I get brave enough to make an attempt

 

Thanks again,

Leroy

[Henry Wilson]

My advice is to be brave and just jump in and try. It is the best way to learn I think. The connoisseur's book by Nagayama is an excellent resource and if you have that I think you have the necessary basic tools at your disposal for a good attempt.

 

Part of the fun, as you work through the kantei, is looking like this then this :? followed by this :x as you narrow your answer down and then if all works out well you look like this :lol: but sometimes this

 

PS I hope those smiles work!!!!!

[Leroy]

THe smiles really get the point across

 

I do carry that book with me. Because I travel so much, it's the only one I found, in english, that is so complete. I just wish there were better pictures in there.

 

Now, if I can just cut back on some of my hours so I cab devote more time to studying....