cabowen Posted December 16, 2014 Report Posted December 16, 2014 Just bought this from an online auction- was surprised I got it as lately I have been outbid at every turn... Very rare blade by Tsukamoto Kiyokazu, brother of Tsukamoto Okimasa. A genuine "shrine blade" made for his local Jinja in Fukushima city. It has the name of the polisher, Homma Taketsugu, listed as well on the nakago. Very unusual... I have another blade by this smith and if this one is anything like it, I will be thrilled... 1 Quote
reeder Posted December 16, 2014 Report Posted December 16, 2014 Very nice! hows the blade look? Quote
cabowen Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Posted December 16, 2014 Very nice! hows the blade look? Thanks! Added a shot of the blade...Looks pretty good to me.... Quote
Alex A Posted December 16, 2014 Report Posted December 16, 2014 Nice one Chris. Is that a silver habaki i see? Quote
k morita Posted December 16, 2014 Report Posted December 16, 2014 Great find !!! Moreover,very healthy blade and Prefectural shrine,Asakakunitsuko-jinja Shrine's Treasure sword. Quote
cabowen Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Posted December 16, 2014 Thank you Morita san....It does look very healthy and in good condition. Very unusual to have the date down to the day, the togi's name, and maybe the sayashi's name as well (can't quite see the last few kanji so I am guessing here). Clearly this was made and presented in earnest and with deep conviction. Yes, a silver habaki.... Quote
Kronos Posted December 16, 2014 Report Posted December 16, 2014 aha nice one Chris, I saw that the other day but didn't pay much attention as I'm more interested in pre 1700 swords and have no money currently otherwise it did look interesting. I'm glad it went to someone able to fully appreciate it Quote
cabowen Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Posted December 16, 2014 Thank you for the kind words and for passing it by! I plan to go to the Asakakunitsuko-jinja when I am in Japan next year to see if I can get any further info on the sword. Quote
LakeBum Posted December 16, 2014 Report Posted December 16, 2014 Very cool! I love swords with history and prominence. My quest for a lost Minotogawa shrine sword will probably take the next 20 years lol. Quote
1tallsword Posted December 16, 2014 Report Posted December 16, 2014 very happy for you chris. nice to see the blade get a caring custodian. of course when you get tired of its beauty you can mail it to me :lol: tiss the season for giving Quote
k morita Posted December 17, 2014 Report Posted December 17, 2014 Chris san, Today,I called to the Shinto priest of Asakakunitsuko-jinja in Koriyama,Fukushima prefecture. I asked the priest whether a list of dedicated swords existed? The answer is "There is no list". He was saying that Shrine's swords ware carried away by the occupation army after the war2. Quote
cabowen Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Posted December 17, 2014 Wow, thank you so much for your research Morita san! That was very kind of you.... I'm surprised that there are no records...That is sad news... Quote
Ford Hallam Posted December 17, 2014 Report Posted December 17, 2014 Hmmm....this provides some interesting food for thought. With reference to some thoughts expressed on the NMB previously that contemporary tsuba can't really be considered true tsuba as they are not made with their primary function being the protection of the hand I am now forced to regard this 'sword' in the same light. As has been pointed out this blade was made with it's sole 'function' being that of a shrine offering. Given that a real sword's primary function is to cut does this then render the present example a 'sword shaped object' ? Yes, it could cut, in the same way a contemporary tsuba can offer protection to the hand if need be but if definitions are to be based on the motivations of the maker this 'not a sword' was not made for combat so does that make it a 'sword shaped object' ? :lol: Quote
george trotter Posted December 17, 2014 Report Posted December 17, 2014 Hi Chris....wow, great find. Right up your Tsukamoto alley! Nice to have the reference to the Daitoa senso also....(this of course makes it a "war sword" Ford haha :D ). A really remarkable find. Many thanks to Morita san for checking with the shrine too...what a pity the records are not available...maybe something was reported in the local Fukushima newspapers around that date? Worth checking I think...maybe a pic of the presentation will turn up? Hope to hear more about your researches Chris. Congratulations. Quote
cabowen Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Posted December 17, 2014 Thanks George! I will look into the newspaper idea... Yes, it could cut, in the same way a contemporary tsuba can offer protection to the hand if need be but if definitions are to be based on the motivations of the maker this 'not a sword' was not made for combat so does that make it a 'sword shaped object' ? :lol: Smiths traditionally made swords for both combat and protection (the sword that takes life/the sword that gives life). They have been frequently made as offerings to shrines to appease the gods with hopes of protection for many hundreds of years-this is a very old, established, traditional "purpose". It isn't a modern departure or contrivance, rather, one of the primary usages of an item with both martial and religious purposes... Curiously, the sword was without a tsuba....hmmmmm..... significant??? :lol: Quote
Tanto54 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Posted December 17, 2014 Chris! You've matured and mellowed in your old age and stringent definitions (or is it just because it's yours???) :D I remember when you used to say if it wasn't made to be used in battle, it was't nihonto... Anyway, congratulations on a great sword. Quote
cabowen Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Posted December 17, 2014 Why thank you! Did I really say "not made for battle" and not "made for its intended purpose" ???? If I did, it was an oversight.... and in that case, thanks for pointing that out! :lol: As I mentioned above, there is a long tradition of making swords for shrine and temple offerings. It is, and has long been, one of the "intended purposes" of nihonto... Quote
k morita Posted December 19, 2014 Report Posted December 19, 2014 Wow, thank you so much for your research Morita san! That was very kind of you.... I'm surprised that there are no records...That is sad news... Chris san, Even if there are no records in a shrine, don't worry about it. The tang inscription of this sword is "the record" and It is "the evidence". Quote
cabowen Posted December 19, 2014 Author Report Posted December 19, 2014 That is very true....I thought it would be interesting to get more details but it would seem I must be content with what I have....Thanks again! Quote
jason_mazzy Posted December 19, 2014 Report Posted December 19, 2014 Why thank you! Did I really say "not made for battle" and not "made for its intended purpose" ???? If I did, it was an oversight.... and in that case, thanks for pointing that out! :lol: As I mentioned above, there is a long tradition of making swords for shrine and temple offerings. It is, and has long been, one of the "intended purposes" of nihonto... I laughed when I read it originally but knew better than to comment at the time LOL. Quote
cabowen Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Posted December 24, 2014 Received this sword today. When I first unsheathed it, my heart sank as there was what appeared to be small chunks of corrosion all over the blade. I cleaned it with some acetone and the "corrosion" all disappeared, leaving a blade in about 99% polish! And what a good polish it is...One of the best I have seen on a war era blade. The blade really looks like a first rate Hizen-to- beautiful, tight, even, jigane with a gently undulating suguha which has a thick, ko-nie lined habuchi. Flawless. The habaki is two piece, done in silver. Also rare for war era work. The only disappointment is a tiny nick in the kissaki. Easily repairable, but there. There is an additional name at the bottom of the nakago to the right of the togi-shi's name: Kiuchi Katsumoto 木内勝本...Not sure at present what the significance is of that name...Perhaps the sayashi??? Very happy with this sword! Quote
1tallsword Posted December 24, 2014 Report Posted December 24, 2014 congrats chris! and just in time for christmas too. Quote
cabowen Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Posted December 24, 2014 Thanks and that was my first thought when the UPS guy knocked today too! Quote
Gunome Posted December 25, 2014 Report Posted December 25, 2014 Hello, Congratulation Chris! I cleaned it with some acetone and the "corrosion" all disappeared, leaving a blade in about 99% polish! And what a good polish it is...One of the best I have seen on a war era blade. Does acetone is safe for the blade ? I have a blade that have an old dry oil difficult to remive with uchiko, does acetone could be a good solution to remove it ? (sorry for off topic). Sébastien Quote
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