Kantei For Fun

[Jean]

Here is my last, last, last, last purchase. Next one my dear wife kills me

 

It's a tanto, try to find the period, the era, the school, too difficult to find the smith. The sayagaki says it all. I add a few pictures, I have taken quickly before my wife comes back

 

Length about 27,2 cm, motohaba 2,7 cm

[Jean]

Wow, 62 views and no answers as so far don't be shy

[Pete Klein]

 

Of course you won't...

 

(and I will never buy another book -- just ask Grey)! ROFLMAO!!!

[Jean]

Pete,

 

I had two answers, one by PM one by email, both to the same school so it is not so hard

[paulb]

 

Here is my last, last, last, last purchase

I think this is what Pete was referring to

[lonely panet]

as a noob, heres my go

 

late kamakura, early nambochuko, Bizen tradition. and again maybe yoshii or osafune school?????????

[Jussi Ekholm]

It's very fun exercise. I can't really participate as by trying to nail it down I ended up finding this tanto. So I guess I was kinda in right direction but I was still very far actually... In my case it was luck and not skill pinpointing it down.

[BIG]

Hi,

Tsunemitsu, Bizen Province, Shoo Era, Ko Bizen School

 

Best Regards

[Jean]

Thanks Paul, I missed the meaning of Pete's joke In fact, it is true up to a point. It will be one in and one out but after this tanto, I really don't know what I can get

[Jean]

It is not Bizen. I give you an answer tomorrow night

[paulb]

Hi Jean

It will be one in and one out but after this tanto, I really don't know what I can get

I keep saying that too

but then realise that I have very few (if any) left that I would want to part with and if I did it would have to be for something very very special, so what I would get for what I parted with probably wouldnt cover the cost.

I guess I will just have to be satisfied (and very grateful) for what I have managed to collect. I think the same is true for you too

sorry I am hijacking the thread. You have already had my misguided thoughts on this one so I will watch with interest what others think.

[Jean]

Yes Paul, it is true for me too

[Marius]

Attributed to Etchu Norishige, but it is an Uda tanto     

[Jean]

Can't be attributed to Norishige, Markus, as it is signed according to the sayagaki. 3 kantei to Uda as so far.

[Marius]

Oh dear, I haven't looked at the first picture with the description. 

[javier]

Hi Jean and colleagues please consider I am a beginner! My bet is Uda school too from Late Kamakura early Nanbokucho.

 

Javier

[Jim P]

Hi Jean, It had me thinking maybe Kyushu and Chikuzen Kongobyoe  but then Uda  is a not a bad bet

[nagamaki - Franco]

http://nihontoclub.com/smiths/SUY62

[Jean]

Interesting answers, even a dozen in pm and a atari with a hint.

 

A big hint: a member via pm that this sword made him thinks of Jitsua, I gave him a hint. In the Connoisseur's book of Japanese Swords, in one of the main tradition there is at the end of the chapter, the schools influenced by the tradition: Chikuzen predating Samonji. So you have the tradition, now which school and why. I think Barry can find it

[SwordGuyJoe]

It is not Bizen.

 

 

...I am so bad at this... 

[Mark]

It reminds me of a naginata i saw by Jitsua, but I think that blade was Nambokucho so he may be a bit too late for the date so at first i thought Sairen, but with your hint maybe Ryosai or his brother Nyusai ?

[Jean]

Ok guys, time for solution: Sukemitsu Senju'in, late Kamakura

 

Here is a comment from Darcy on this jo saku smith:

 

"... there are no signed tanto by this smith as far as I know. In fact, no tanto at all.

 

There are three signed Juyo and one mumei tachi. One of the three signatures is a bit weak. The other two are strong like yours, and one of those two is the Tokuju one.

 

The dated one that everyone refers to is not in the Juyo or Kokuho or Juyo Bunkazai, therefore it is Juyo Bijutsuhin. I've cataloged everything else.

 

Certainly a Juyo candidate.

 

Rare in the extreme to maybe being the only existing tanto by this smith. I saw this tanto before but it didn't register on me (and probably everyone else) how rare it was. I saw this horimono only on one other occasion. It's on a Juyo blade somewhere and I'll try to dig it up.

 

But it is indeed a great example of Tanobe sensei using every piece of available space because something is rare and special."

[Markus]

That's the dated tachi btw, an ôdachi with a nagasa of ~ 97.0 cm.

 

[nagamaki - Franco]

Suggestions, thoughts,

 

First, to myself, why do you succumb to participating? 

Secondly, stick with your first answer. 

Thirdly, when such challenges are presented, even just for fun, the presenter needs to honestly take their own test. Here, although there is some description about the hamon, without any word of nie or nioi, not to mention hamon activity, [makes it near impossible to determine from the images other than outright guessing by chance], it really leaves one hanging. So, please, paint a whole picture, go through the kantei yourself as the proof is in the details.

 

And, finally, Jean, appreciate your sharing

[paulb]

As an interesting, at least to me, aside when I first heard this was ko-Senjuin I was very surprised. The only other example I had seen was an image from many years ago of a long sword in the A Z Freeman collection and to be honest the hada looked nothing like this. Then by chance I was looking at Andy Quirt's site (nihonto.us) and he has a ko-Senjuin Daito where the hada has much in common with Jean's so I can start to see where the attribution came from.

Picking up on Franco's point, when we were in Japan at Bob's evening event and doing kantei he handed out worksheets. I seem to remember one had been reproduced here. Can I suggest that if we do this in the future the person setting the kantei uses this sheet as a prompt to make sure the images and description supplies all the information needed to work to a conclusion. That way we can besure we dont overlook some vital piece of information and certainly in my case make up for generally less than perfect images.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Paul, thank you for this latest reply as coincidentally the Quirt sword crossed my mind along with Tegai Yukimitsu. However, the lack of brightness combined with no wording or images of nie of any kind changed my mind.

[Jean]

Sorry, I did not have time to hand over a kantei sheet, thus the title "Kantei for fun" but be reassured, this probably the last kantei I post before long

 

Jacques who is still spying the NMB, though it is not worth a dime to his eyes, has just pm'd me saying:

 

"ROFL, what a joke. And what kind of paper has this marvel?"

 

Here it is, LOL

[paulb]

Jean

please dont be put off either by suggestions which were made with good intention to enhance the experience or by our mutual friends negativity. To be honest I would begin to worry more if he had said something positive.

I enjoyed sharing your sword and have learned something from the process. I need to look at Senjuin again with less preconceived ideas and a more open mind!

[Jean]

I am not put off Paul , I am always ready to deliver additional information upon request, just have to ask

 

BTW, I got one atari to the school (congrats Ray) and two dozen both to Yamato but different schools

[Pete Klein]

Jean -- It's both nifty and peachy keen! You never cease to inspire me!!!

 

Pete