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My First Nihonto - Osafune Tadamitsu

Isocyanide

By Isocyanide
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Isocyanide Enthusiast

Isocyanide

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I spent two weeks travelling around Japan (went to all three major islands) with my brother who lives in Kyoto and on an impulse I bought my first Japanese sword from a shop in Kyoto with a good reputation.  We were able to figure out the mei as Osafune Tadamitsu. Which one I do not know, from my research it seems multiple smiths of this school used this name.  I've purchased three books on swords since I've been back and I'm thinking about expanding my collection once I've gained some more knowledge.

 

I'm wondering if anyone has any insight as to authenticity of the smith, quality of the blade, and if so what kind of value it has.  The blade did not have NBTHK papers.

 

pictures are here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46661974@N06/18273417172/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46661974@N06/18273416512/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46661974@N06/18091020129/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46661974@N06/18277213985/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46661974@N06/18089400378/in/dateposted-public/

 

mei:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/46661974@N06/18273414622/in/dateposted-public/

 

Thanks in advance,

Steve

Jean

Jean

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Steve,

 

I have seen worse but nevertheless it has great chance of being a Kazu uchi mono. All depends on the date of manufacture but a Bishu Osafune signature with no nengo (not dated) is an indication. Nevertheless the price you paid should be a good indicator. The hamon and Boshi are in line with Tadamitsu work.

Isocyanide Enthusiast

Isocyanide

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Thanks for your comments.

 

I think I paid 220k yen for the blade and the koshirae, hopefully I didn't get ripped off  :o   

 

With the yen plummeting it looks like it's a really good time to buy swords from Japan.

 

I was a little worried about a sword from the Sengoku period and it possibly being mass produced.

 

Is there a method of distinguishing between o-maru and ko-maru boshi, I'm still learning...The illustration in Yumoto's book isn't helping me.

 

Thanks!

Steve

tony edmunds Community Regular

tony edmunds

Posted
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Hi Steve

 

That looks like a very decent start to any collection.

May I ask which Sword Shop it came from, I know most of the guys in Kyoto including the shop next to Nijo Castle and Tozando.

 

May I also suggest you have a look at the Token Society of Great Britain web page:  www.to-ken.com  very helpful and very knowledgeable members, we meet up in London every quarte or so.

 

Regards

Tony

Jean

Jean

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Peter,

 

Starting end of Oei and I'll say as soon as beginning of 15th century, Bizen swords had a nengo when associated with a nagamei. Till Onin wars the smiths Bizen mei began by "Bishu Osafune xxxxxx" and on the other side a nengo. A lot of Bizen Josaku smiths used this mei pattern.

 

Starting Onin wars, sue Muromaxhi, the mei "Bishu Osafune xxxxxxx" associated with a nengo became synonym of kazu uchi mono, though there is a Bishu Osafune xxxxx Juyo sword. There is in the Nihonto Koza a paragraph on Oei Bizen and sue Bizen mei.

 

The only case in sue Muromachi Bizen where I have not seen any nengo is in nijimei case.

 

The blade not being papered, I doubt its mei. Generally good reputation Japanese swords stores sell papered swords.

 

The fact that there is "saku" at the end of the mei leads to a gimei, no Tadamitsu ever signed "Bishu OsafuneTadamitsu SAKU".

 

Gimei Kazu Uchi mono is the conclusion. The price Steve paid for it is a good indicator.

 

BTW, I have seen kazu uchi mono blades with no more kizu than this one.

 

Should this blade not being Kazu Uchimono, do you think it would have sold for this price?

 

Have a look at Aoi Art web site for price reference.

Jean

Jean

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Steve,

 

Before posting, I checked with Markus Sesko book and did not find any smith with this mei.

 

Thanks to Jacques who sent me a mail, I can rectify by telling there were Bizen smiths signing Bishu Osafune Tadamitsu saku, here is one:

 

http://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/a00162.html

 

He told me that a sword with this mei was subject to a Kantei from NBTHK

 

But all these swords had a nengo and were papered ..... So unless dated or papered the conclusion remains the same...

Isocyanide Enthusiast

Isocyanide

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The question is : is the blade dated on the ura side. If not it is a real problem (dixit Nihonto Koza).

 

No date on the ura.  So kazu uchimono and gimei signature is the conclusion?  

Jean

Jean

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I say yes but bring it to a sword meeting and mention my saying about sue Bizen bearing mandatorily a nengo when the blade is signed Bishu Osafune .... We'll see what will be their opinion. The surest thing would be Shinsa. I have search the web and did not find any swords with such a signature without date.

 

Honma Junji wrote for Oei Bizen that, in the limits of what he has seen, blades signed nijimei had no dates but all signed Bishu Osafune... Had a date on the ura.

 

The few Muromachi Bizen blades I have seen follow this rule. I have seen one exception a Juyo Yasumitsu, but the blade being slightly suriage, doubts subsist if there was a nengo or not at the origin. All depends on the suriage methods. There are several which are listed in the book "Facts and Fundamentals of the Japanese swords" worth reading, it will give you a very good understanding of Japanese swords and how to appraise the quality of a blade :).

 

Tadamitsu lineage is one of the best in sue Bizen. What is surprising is that if the mei was added on a mumei one, the guy who did it forgot to add a date... But ...

Jean

Jean

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James,

 

This one is papered, so they exist. I don't know if yours were papered or not but one thing is sure, Bishu Osafune signature is from Japanese experts a sign of kazu uchi mono otherwise the mei should be Bizen koku ju Osafune. There are some exceptions and none without any date.

 

The examples of Bishu Osafune Tadamitsu saku I have seen (only 2) were dated, but unlike Sukesada they are less frequently found.

 

Kazu uchi mono can be papered as long as they satisfy NBTHK criteria. They certainly won't go further than Hozon as the blade from Nihontoart.

Jean

Jean

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No I don't think so, should it have been worth it the Japanese dealer would have done it.

 

Kanteisho won't have any added galue for this sword. Have look at the dealer's websites provided in "links", you won't find more than 2% of sue Bizen blades having a mei beginning by Bishu Osafune... And not being dated, if any. This Sukesada is the first one I have seen bearing this kind of mei without a date.

Jean

Jean

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Here is a Bishu Osafune mei blade, have a look at the comment (it is linked to the mei):

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/katana-bishu-osafune-kiyomitsueiroku-6-nen-2-gatsu-hi

 

Here is another one linked to a good smith but dated before the kazu uchi mono and Onin wars, look at the comments about the Bishu signature:

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/wakizashi-bishu-osahune-norimitsu

 

You'll noticed they are both dated,

seattle1 Experienced

seattle1

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Hello Steve:

 The shop you were at is O.K. but mostly deals with tourists visiting the castle across the street. There is another shop in Kyoto, about three blocks from the Kyoto Tower, which has quite nice material, at least the last time I was there, but is open infrequently. For directions check with the Tourist Information office just inside the rail station not far from the eastern entrance.

 Arnold F.

tony edmunds Community Regular

tony edmunds

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While Arnold is right to say that Kuraya gets a lot of tourists and do sell Iaito , they also have some lovely nihonto at reasonable ( for Japan sword shops) prices.

The best pieces are upstairs, out of sight, when  last there I was shown a Bizen Ichimonji with Juyo papers and a really lovely Tadahiro katana with TH.

 

Tony

Isocyanide Enthusiast

Isocyanide

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Due to my lack of knowledge in the area I may have put too much faith in the shop.  Oh well....a fool and his money...luckily there are bigger fools with way more money than me in the NYC area :)

Jamie Experienced

Jamie

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Please sign with your name so we may know how to address you.

 

It's at the very least a polished old Japanese sword. Enjoy it for that while you have it. But you might consider getting some books and reading up on the subject. You'll find that you are attracted to certain things, either attributes, or schools. You can make future purchases based on this.

Many peoples first sword is some rusty old thing. You can enjoy this one. You might get the conniseurs book and look through it against your blade.

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

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