Mino Assistance

[Ray Singer]

I am attempting to research a sword which I purchased for myself at the recent Orlando show. The sword has a very complex gonome choji hamon with numerous tobiyaki. There are a few spots that would almost make you think Omiya or So-den Bizen, however there are other places where a togari gonome clearly shows. The hamon has great depth of activity, this is not a simple tight habuchi. The boshi has a very long kaeri and is again lined with tobiyaki. 2 shaku 3 sun, wide mihaba and saki-haba with an extended kissaki. Suriage with a mei of 'Noshu Seki ju Kane__'. My initial thought had been that this gimei, but I spoke for a while with Mike Y., who felt the mei is good for some Mino smith working circa Eisho. Another good friend who I have much respect for suggested I look into San'ami circa Bunmei. I have still not found an example with a hamon that closely resembles this one, and wanted open this up to the board to see if this work felt familiar to anyone. I unfortunately do not have a copy of the Mino-to Taikan, which would undoubtedly be helpful here. I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

 

Kind regards,

Ray

[mywei]

The forging looks quite tight and good quality for Sue Seki. Along with the hataraki, could be Kanesada school perhaps?

[Ray Singer]

Very good quality, very tight flawless jitetsu. Mike also mentioned Kanesada as a possibility, but said 'not Nosada'.

[mywei]

Could be sandai Kanesada

 

https://www.aoijapan.net/wakizashi-noshu-seki-ju-kanesada/

 

Planning to shinsa?

[Ray Singer]

Thanks for sharing that example of the sandai. Will definitely shinsa at some point, but have a few items in queue so it may not be until late in the year.

[Prewar70]

Ishido school perhaps if not paying attention to the mei

[Ray Singer]

Sorry to revive this old thread, but I was struck by some similarities to Soshu Hirotsugu. Work in mine is much more calm, but the sword does have a Soshu atmosphere. Still researching (and enjoying) this one. Two reference examples, along with additional photos of my sword.

 

Reference photo and oshigata

 

Sword under study

[Blazeaglory]

Hey Ray. I have Mino-To Swords (by Malcolm Cox) being delivered. Its taking a while now to get here but when it does, I'll see if I can help you out.

 

Also, I have this saved on my ebay "watching" list. It might interest you. Kinda expensive but will last many years. Good luck!

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-vintage-book-Mino-sword-katana-Taikan-1975/173544927179?hash=item2868156fcb:g:OTMAAOSwCa1bowY9:rk:2:pf:0

[John A Stuart]

I have the Taikan and don't think it would narrow it down, there are just so many within the school that have similar attributes, and the book doesn't have oshigata of all of them. John

[ROKUJURO]

Ray,

I just admired your blade and thought how beautiful this would look with a fresh SASHIKOMI polish!

[Guest Rayhan]

Your sword is absolutely beautiful! I jave a Hirotsugu in bad polish since it does not show the Hitatsura but Oshigata helps

 

 

[Guest Rayhan]

Your sword is absolutely beautiful! I have a Hirotsugu in bad polish since it does not show the Hitatsura but Oshigata helps

 

 

Hirotsugu (1).jpg

[Ray Singer]

Thank you for sharing the photo Ray! Here is the sword I was looking at earlier which I believe is the actual Hirotsugu featured inFujishiro.

 

http://taiseido.biz/cn11/pg291.html

 

[Ray Singer]

Agreed Jean.

 

Ray,

I just admired your blade and thought how beautiful this would look with a fresh SASHIKOMI polish!

[raynor]

Amazing hamon, with a light source reflecting off the blade it is eerily similar to the sun peeking through a cover of flowing clouds.

[Tom Darling]

For what it's worth,I agree with James, Omi Ishido group. I also, thought retempered?

 

Tom D.

[Ray Singer]

I do not see any evidence of saiba.

 

Another oshigata I was looking at this even for Soshu Hiromasa in the Token Bijutsu.

 

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hi Ray,

 

Taking in your original post info and with that long turnback and mune activity Kanetomo comes to mind (???).

 

With a partial mei I would think a shinsa could pin this down.

 

Thanks.

[Jacques]

The way of engraving "Seki" doesn't resemble those used by Kanesada or Kanefusa but resembles that used by Kanetomo

[mfarrar]

Certainly some similarities to Ishido with the tobiyaki, muneyaki, choji ko nie hamon. Boshi and the lack of O-hada would suggest otherwise though

[Surfson]

To me, if we are going to ignore the mei, it also has a later bizen feel to it.   Here is a snippet from Markus' website:

 

 

[Blazeaglory]

I was going to mention Bizen/Ichimonji earlier as well.

 

As for Kanemoto, I think the turn back is a bit too long on top and boshi is missing other known Kanemoto factors (early generations anyways) and I don't think were seeing sanbon sugi but a choji dominated hamon with some pointed areas that could possibly be seen as sanbon sugi, but its debatable.

 

My 2 cents.

[Ray Singer]

Definitely not sanbonsugi. Here is an article which describes an Ichimonji utushimono by Kanesada.

 

https://yuhindo.com/ha/40-degrees-kyoto/#more-848

[BIG]

Kanefusa school..

 

http://www.samuraisword.com/nihonto/cut_test/GOLD_INLAY/Kanefusa/index.htm

 

Best

[Blazeaglory]

Definitely not sanbonsugi. Here is an article which describes an Ichimonji utushimono by Kanesada.

 

https://yuhindo.com/ha/40-degrees-kyoto/#more-848

Some nice tidbits of info in that article. Thanks

 

That article mentioned that Mino wasn't regarded as very high compared to the other schools at the time. I understand what they're saying but I disagree a bit. For me, I'm realizing that Mino/Kanemoto/Kanesada are my top smiths. Some of the blades Kanesada has created are amazing and incorporate so many different aspects it's crazy.

 

Ok rant over, I just had to confess my infatuation with the early Mino elite????

[Vermithrax16]

I am pretty good at Ishido school ID and this has none of that feel, at least to me. Seems Mino but I can't really add anything else to the discussion.

[Guest Rayhan]

Is Noshu Seki-ju Kanesada a strong possibility?

[Ray Singer]

Rayhan, Mike did suggest Eisho Kanesada when viewing the sword at a recent show. 

[Ray Singer]

The shinsa team judged the mei to be authentic (Noshu Seki ju Kane___) and attributed this piece to Mino Kanemachi circa Tensho (1573).

[Surfson]

You going to get it restored Ray?  Nice Ara nie and muneyaki.