Guest Lee Posted May 4, 2008 Report Posted May 4, 2008 Hi, Anyone kind enough to help on a mei Kanji translation . Bishu ? ? Munemitsu. The sword is 17 1/4" End to tip. Any information would be great ! Thank you ! Quote
John A Stuart Posted May 4, 2008 Report Posted May 4, 2008 Hi Lee, Just insert 'Osafune', I believe. John Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 4, 2008 Report Posted May 4, 2008 Hey John, Thanks! Here is another picture. Looks like mini sword. Not like a tanto. About a 3/4" blade. Do you know about the swordsmith on this one? Blade has a good curve in it. Lee Quote
Stephen Posted May 4, 2008 Report Posted May 4, 2008 boys day sword which is what today in Japan? Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 Hi Stephen, You know, it could be a Child's Day sword. I Did not think of that one. I can see a good temper on the blade too . Well made ! Lee Quote
James Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 If it's a genuine Bishu Osafune Munemitsu, then you have yourself a sword by a very good smith. Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 James, I hope so! Do you have any oshigata or mei examples of this smith ? Here is a picture of the small tsuba it came with. Looks like solid silver tarnished. Made of something I have not seen before. Lee Quote
Jacques Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 Hi, If it's a genuine Bishu Osafune Munemitsu, then you have yourself a sword by a very good smith. I checked my books as Fujishiro or Toko taikan and think it's hardly gimei. Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 Hi Jacques D., Thank you for looking that up. So your saying Shoshin , Do you have a mei example you can post ? Lee Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 Hello, Thank you, Do you have example wrote as Bishu not Bizen ? There were 10 Munemitsu smiths I think ? Lee Quote
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 Hi Lee. Just to be sure, can you confirm the blade is signed Katana-mei ? Thanks. Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 Hi Carlo, The signature is I believe what you call Katana -Mei Edge up signature away from person. Holding the sword in your hands with its edge down, the signature is on the left side. Lee Quote
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted May 5, 2008 Report Posted May 5, 2008 The tsuba too suggests a katana mounting. Thanks Lee. Quote
Jacques Posted May 6, 2008 Report Posted May 6, 2008 Hi, Hello, Thank you, Do you have example wrote as Bishu not Bizen ? There were 10 Munemitsu smiths I think ? Lee Found only 6 koto Bizen Munemitsu, but i've not found an oshigata with Bishu Osafune Munemitsu, but you certainly know this kind of mei is synonymous of kazu-uchi-mono. Quote
Jean Posted May 6, 2008 Report Posted May 6, 2008 Just two observations : I am not fond of the Nakago Jiri but it can be due to pictures. If anyone has time to look for this Munemitsu, he has to look for a generation who centered his mei on the shinogi Quote
pcfarrar Posted May 6, 2008 Report Posted May 6, 2008 I have a 28" katana signed Bishu Osafune Munemitsu in gunto mounts. Probably a kazu-uchi-mono but I like it. It has a typical sue-Bizen choji midare hamon. Here it is for comparison purposes. Quote
Guest reinhard Posted May 7, 2008 Report Posted May 7, 2008 ...but i've not found an oshigata with Bishu Osafune Munemitsu, but you certainly know this kind of mei is synonymous of kazu-uchi-mono. I wish he certainly does not know. "Bishu Osafune + name" is NOT SYNONYMOUS with kazu-uchi mono. Here's an oshigata (Bishu Osafune MUNEMITSU!) dated Bunmei 18th year (1487), which definitely NOT belongs to a Kazu-uchi mono. We have discussed this topic before and constantly repeating the "Bishu Osafune = kazu-uchi mono" sermon does not make it true. There is a statistic relevance to it, but it is far from being a reliable rule. On the contrary it is misleading beginners. reinhard Quote
Jean Posted May 7, 2008 Report Posted May 7, 2008 As I originated the Kazu Uchi mono post, I have to answer Reinhard remark : I wish he certainly does not know. "Bishu Osafune + name" is NOT SYNONYMOUS with kazu-uchi mono. Here's an oshigata (Bishu Osafune MUNEMITSU!) dated Bunmei 18th year (1487), which definitely NOT belongs to a Kazu-uchi mono. Reinhard is absolutely right. Suspicion about the mei "Bishu Osafune ..." being kazu uchi mono depends on the date the sword was forge, taking as example Blades forged during the 15th century or before and beginning with "Bishu Osafune ..." you will find very few kazu uchi mono. I think these kind of swords appear at the very end of 15th century and boomed during the 16th century. Nevertheless, Reinhard example is biaised because there are always exceptions to the rule. Remember the Kanenori post and the Kiritsuke mei, I was saying that the kanenori kaji line was not outstanding and Jacques shows us a Juyo Kanenori blade. Darcy answered that a Juyo blade does not make a Kaji line exceptionnal. In fact, I have never seen books or pictures dedicated to kazu uchi mono swords, I think there is a market there :D :D :D The only thing I will never do is to buy a "Bishu Osafune ..." mei sword forged during the Sengoku period without having the possibility to examine it "in hand". Even High resolution pictures can be misleading Statistics are there even if there are exceptions .... That was Guido's remark too. Do not discard anything but be very cautious, Nihonto is full of booby traps Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 Hello, Is the blade worth the restoration? Lee Quote
pcfarrar Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 Get a window polished (will cost very little) and then decide if its worth a polish. Quote
Jacques Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 Hi, Lee, Only shinsa can give you the answer NBTHK and NTHK do not kantei a blade which is in bad condition. 1 Quote
Guest Lee Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 Get a window polished (will cost very little) and then decide if its worth a polish. Hi, Get a Window polish ! Is that polish a section to see a portion of the blade? Lee Quote
Jean Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 Jacques has written : NBTHK and NTHK do not kantei a blade which is in bad condition. Revise your classic Jacques, two years ago I had a NTHK kantesisho on an unpolished Koto Kanetsune which once polished had 2 hagire ........ Quote
pcfarrar Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 On a sidenote is the date 1486 on the oshigata Reinhard posted? My Bishu Osafune Munemitsu katana has an almost identical hamon to that example. Quote
Jean Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 On a sidenote is the date 1486 on the oshigata Reinhard posted? My Bishu Osafune Munemitsu katana has an almost identical hamon to that example. Few chance to be a Kazu uxhi mono :D :D :D Quote
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted May 8, 2008 Report Posted May 8, 2008 What is Kazu uxhi mono ?? Using a qwerty, it's a typo... Quote
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