Peter Bleed Posted July 9, 2014 Report Posted July 9, 2014 Friends, I am trying to organize and present information on Sendai swordsmiths. I recall that nifty fold out in Ikeda's Shinshinto Nyumon that presented the lifespans of the major smiths in a spreadsheet of the relevant nengo. This presentation is - well - interesting. I think I could assemble basic data for most of the Sendai smiths and in so doing reveal - well - something. To quick start thsi project, I wonder if anyone has and will share - or can point me to - a spreadsheet of the Edo Period. Peter Quote
Ken-Hawaii Posted July 10, 2014 Report Posted July 10, 2014 Umm, Peter, you do realize that entire books have been written on that, don't you? Are you looking for something like this: http://www.sho-shin.com/skools.htm? Ken Quote
Peter Bleed Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Posted July 10, 2014 Ken Indeed, I am aware that "entire books" have been written about swords. And I am familiar with the Sho-shin site. I understand that it is easy to determine when specific smiths operated. It find it more difficult to get a handle on how communities operated and how different smiths and schools were arrayed in time. It is easy to figure out the specifics, but - from my experience - it is hard to see and grasp broad patterns. My interest is also limited to the smiths of the Sendai Han. That included some 272 recorded smiths. Essentially NO koto smiths worked in this area. so I am interested in the Edo period. Let's round that off to the period from 1600 til say 1900. I am NOT interested in presenting a LIST of smiths. That's available. What I think would expand understanding is a matrix that shows which smiths were working at different times. We're talking about an EXCEL chart of only 272 by 300. That is NOT that big. Now, if you think that is a dull idea - or even a dumb one - I don't care. What I was hoping is that someone in this community might be able to help me generated a list of the nengo of the Edo period. That will be less that 300 rows. I'll work on the 272 columns. Peter Quote
Peter Bleed Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Posted July 10, 2014 Forgive me if I was short. My fear of spread sheets and kanji was misplaced. Thru the wonders of the internet, Microsoft office, and contacts and the National Security Agency, I have one side of my spreadsheet up and running. Is this what sword collecting has come to? Peter Quote
Brian Posted July 10, 2014 Report Posted July 10, 2014 Peter, I think the confusion came from some misunderstanding of what you were requesting. I didn't read that as a request for the nengo....but something approaching a list of the smith or something far more intensive. Of course you are to be applauded for your research. I understand you are the "Sendai Guy" and having a (probabaly gimei) Kunikane...I am always interested in your research. By all means ask for any help you need, and I will offer the NMB for any support we can give. Would love to know how the NSA came in useful there :D Brian Quote
Peter Bleed Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Posted July 10, 2014 Attached is a spreadsheet of the Kunikane line - should anyone care. This is obvioulsy a rought first pass, the poor 5th generation needs LOTS of work. and this is not fully proofed, but... for what it is worth. And I only have 250 more smiths to add Quote
Stephen Posted July 10, 2014 Report Posted July 10, 2014 Sorry I don't have Office, so wanted to see after holding Brain's Kunikane in hand. Quote
Brian Posted July 10, 2014 Report Posted July 10, 2014 Took me a little bit to work out what you were presenting, but now I get it. Very handy. Is there sufficient info on most of the other Sendai smiths like these 13 generations of Kunikane? Oneday I want to send you pics of mine to ask if it is a forgery, gimei or what. Mei looks worked on, badly cut. But the hamon is very well done with nice bo and soe-hi. Anyways, look forward to the progression of the spreadsheet. Might be worthwhile adding notes about the smiths if there is anything pertinent. Brian Quote
Peter Bleed Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Posted July 10, 2014 Brian, Thanks for persevering. I realize that KK1 etc may not be entirely obvious altho as close as I was at the time, they could ONLY mean "Kunikane 1" I'll have to spell that out and add kanji. And you are completely correct in pointing out that the data available on the great mass of smiths is not nearly as complete as what is available on the mainline. At least I think I can show the students of the Kunikane 1 - and there were a bunch of them!. Peter Quote
John A Stuart Posted July 10, 2014 Report Posted July 10, 2014 Peter, this is maybe a start for you? John Quote
Peter Bleed Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Posted July 10, 2014 Thanks, John. Indeed, it would have been a start, but Wikipedia moved me in a different direction. And now I am climbing a series of other learning curves! Peter Quote
Guido Posted July 11, 2014 Report Posted July 11, 2014 Stephen said: Sorry I don't have Office, ...Stephen, you can download Word, Excel and PP viewers from the MS website for free. Quote
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