Kissaki Moroha zukuri Dai-Sho

[Nickupero]

Just got my hands on a Dai-Sho from Hayama Enshin, both are dated 1898 AD, full mei is Jōunsai Hayama Enshin Kore o Tsukuru. Started taking some pictures and I'm very intrigued by this set. Meiji work and later is not my area of focus on so I can't say I've had many examples in the past. I know Enshin liked to make these style swords but how rare would a Dai-Sho set be? Was this common work for him?

I understand that this would fall between the middle of his career, right? Any more info or comments about his smith are welcome. Dai: 66.7 cm Sho: 55.5 cm

[cabowen]

Hayama Enshin worked in that grey area right after the Haito Rei. He was one of a few smiths that kept the craft going despite limited demand and very severe financial hardship. He is known for his use of western steel and his tight, almost awataguchi-like hada. He made mostly archaic shaped swords. These two are done in perhaps his most commonly made sugata. He had a few students, and there is a nidai I believe.

 

His work is very distinctive, usually muji with suguha hamon done in an archaic sugata. He is said to have been from the Koyama Munetsugu Suzuki Masao group and his early work is similar to the work of that group, that is, Soden-Bizen. See here http://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/a00089.html for an example...

 

edit: correction made....

[Ken-Hawaii]

Nick, are my eyes crossed from too much pre-holiday cheer, or do these blades not have yokote or kissaki?

 

Ken

[Tcat]

Very interesting pair of blades Nick, thanks for sharing. The joke has been cracked before but one wouldn't want to start messing around doing iai with these forgetting what they are and what they are noto..

 

or do these blades not have yokote or kissaki?

 

Ken, no yokote on moroha zukuri aka kogarasu maru zukuri blades that I have seen. I wonder if one has ever been made with a "ken" style yokote... You raise a good "point" though. Perhaps someone can enlighten me as to where the kissaki technically begins on such a blade.

 

(enough puns for the day I think...)

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning all.,

 

Thanks for showing Nick.,

 

I've never seen a short Moroha Zukuri.

 

That is really interesting.

 

Cheers

[Brian]

What a beautiful pair, love the shape.

The "Kogarasu Maru" style is one of the more stunning ones imho. First pair I have seen and would love to see more pics of the workmanship and features.

 

Brian

[Geraint]

Wow!

 

Nick I love these, what a treat to see them. I love the nakago sugata. I'm sure you have already seen this but here is a tanto by him. http://www.kanshoan.com/english/swords/h46_enshin.html

 

All the best

[Eric H]

His roots go back to the Kiyomaro school, a peculiarity is his nakago in kijimomo shape.

UK Sword Register No. 51

 

Eric

UK SR, No. 51.pdf

[Fuuten]

Wow thank you for showing. They really fit nicely together.

[Darcy]

Very interesting swords, I have not seen a wakizashi in this shape before either.

 

One thing of note that joins up with previous daisho discussions here is that the swords would appear to be an assembled daisho on the part of some collector sometime in the past. The shirasaya are made a bit differently, and the papers are numbered one apart in sequence. This would seem to imply that the owner submitted them at the same time and they did not receive daisho token papers but came back papered individually.

 

Regardless, an interesting and unusual set.

[Nickupero]

Wow a lot of comments, thank you for everyone who gave their input. Thank you Chris and Eric for the info regarding Enshin. Darcy raises a good point, and I think its an interesting situation, both blades are extremely similar but are dated 9 months apart in 1898AD, maybe commissioned by the same owner at a later date, maybe not? The Shirasaya's look darn close aside from the horn around the mekuhi-ana (forget the name), I had a look close up and I have to say there might be a chance that the Dai received the new rectangular finishing (I've had those white round ones crack and fall off), the reason I say this is under close observation there is an air gap when looking inside the hole where the deeper white horn could have previously existed, maybe its me being overly optimistic.

 

Under popular demand here are some more pictures of the blade, some very interesting hataraki don't mistake it for Kizu, both very healthy pieces.

[Nickupero]

some more....

[Ken-Hawaii]

The only thing that bothers me as a long-time sword swinger is that there is simply no practical use for blades that you can't wear & resheath without cutting your thumb off! So they made a beautiful daisho, but could never be used.

 

I guess that brings up the question of whether the intrinsic definition of Nihonto is the ability to use a blade as a weapon...?

 

Ken

[Gabriel L]

The only thing that bothers me as a long-time sword swinger is that there is simply no practical use for blades that you can't wear & resheath without cutting your thumb off! So they made a beautiful daisho, but could never be used.

They could never be used with the exact same techniques used for single-edged swords, but Westerners got along just fine killing each other with double-edged blades for many centuries…

 

On a lighter note, amazing daisho Nick.

[seattle1]

Hello:

While Hayama Enshin is best known for his Awataguchi-like jihada, from the most recent posts of these swords it seems that the utsushi model for the jihada was Yamato. That would be more in keeping with the general sugata of the swords, given its Yamato derivation.

Interesting pair indeed.

Arnold F.

[Darcy]

The only thing that bothers me as a long-time sword swinger is that there is simply no practical use for blades that you can't wear & resheath without cutting your thumb off! So they made a beautiful daisho, but could never be used.

 

I guess that brings up the question of whether the intrinsic definition of Nihonto is the ability to use a blade as a weapon...?

 

Ken

 

Well game theory says that if the other guy kills you first then you don't have to worry about putting the sword back. Yet, if you kill him first then you can take your time with getting it back in.

 

Europeans were able to resheath their swords in spite of having two edges

 

So, it can be done! Don't give up...

[drbvac]

Well done Nick - the quality of your blades continues to amaze and I am sure this Daisho will not be available on your site for very long - someone will be the owner of a very unique pair of blades.

[bubba-san]

Omedetou! Very nice thanks for letting us have a look .... James

[xcivicdx]

very nice set very nice!

[jason_mazzy]

Where's the link for your sales site?

[drbvac]

http://nihontoart.com

[jason_mazzy]

i did not see the daisho for sale. Love your site.

[Brian]

He posted the set for comment and discussion here, not for sale (yet) so I assume that is why it is not in his for sale section.

When that changes, this post can be moved.

 

Brian

[Nickupero]

Sorry for the delayed reply guys.

Thanks Brian B. for your continued Canadian support

Brian R. is correct, this item was posted for discussion purposes which is why its not found on my sales page. I think anything outside of the norm is worth posting for discussion as many of you don't have the chance to see as many blades. Thank you Jason for your interest, I received several inquires about this set (even though it wasn't technically for sale yet), there is a well respected member here and in the Nihonto community that jumped on it just after this topic was posted so unfortunately for whoever else was interested it won't be going up for sale. I will be adding many other items in the weeks to come so stay tuned. Once things are finalized with the sale I'll be offering a donation, for those of you who would like to keep the topic active for discussion reasons I support this 100%.

 

Ken brings up a good point from a practical side, and I love your reply to that Darcy! :lol:

[Bugyotsuji]

I showed this set to my NBTHK Sensei yesterday and he suggested they might have been made for "Gotaiten". We were sitting watching the KoBudo Sai, so the conversation ended there, but it could be a thought to follow up on perhaps?