Documentation or Reference Book Question

[bigjohnshea]

Hope you are all well.

 

Does anyone know of any resources that document the contents of the Mori Daimyo collection. Perhaps the associated Daimyo registration numbers, maybe any photographs and/or descriptions of the blades that were in the Mori Daimyo collection?

 

Thank you for your time!

[Bazza]

John, enquiring minds want know - do you think you have such a sword???

 

BaZZa.

[bigjohnshea]

Sent you a pm BaZZa.

 

Just hoping to find more information on the collection, and available reference books, publications or websites would be appreciated.

 

Cheers!

[Rivkin]

There is a range of torokusho numbers that some claim is associated with Mori (I have no opinion on that), but also there are chapters in various books that show the lists of Mori swords. And then there are sayagaki which tend to mention Daiymo attribution if such was suggested when it was written down.

 

There were quite a few books published until early Showa with Daimyo collections, such as Marquis Kuroda exhibit or the sale catalogue of Shimazu, or small format series covering quite a few families - but I am not sure Mori had one done. But there were also very many Daimyo sword exhibits after the war, but none I think Mori-specific.

 

Kirill R.

[bigjohnshea]

Thank you Kirill! Very helpful!

 

If I have a "Daimyo registration" number for a blade of mine, where would I look to check the number and any information that might be associated/documented with it regarding the blade? Where and when would that "registration" have taken place?

[Rivkin]

By far the hardest path since its always tends to be somewhat speculative. The last thing Daimyo families wanted is to publish the list of what they registered with the police so one can track what they sold - for the same reason you almost never see their names on nbthk papers. What happens however is one buys a known Daimyo sword with the registration number such and such, and then its highly likely that similar numbers will come from the same family. There are some dealers in Japan who say such and such range of numbers are all from such and such collection. The registration is obviously with the police and most torokusho that are called Daimyo ones are from 1956-1957, the earliest registration dates. But there are also those executed in English by police stations or occupation authorities in 1946-1948, which will actually state the family owning the blade. They are however of almost arbitrary form and the English is horrible.

Alas, I personally don't know what are they for Mori. 

Very important blades you are sort of supposed to find in 大名家・著名家刀剣目録   Kirill R.