Wanna play a game?

[CSM101]

Dear members,

 

Please, dont take this too serious. It is an experiment and I just want to see, if it is possible to show the quality of a blade in a single photo.

 

When you click on the link a site will open. Click on the square in the upper left corner and you will see a part of a blade in full screen. Wait a few seconds and the arrows on the left and right will disappear. With those arrows you can navigate.

 

And now the game. The name of the game is: Find the Tokubetso Juyo token!

 

This is no kantei. You don´t need to put a name on the sword (only if you like). Just give me a number. And you can make comments: “Paperweight!” ,“Letter opener” or “Paul Chen!”, if you like something or not…         22 different blades.

 

https://www.nihontophoto.com/galerie

 

Have fun and I will give the answer next week.

 

Uwe G.

[PNSSHOGUN]

My pick is #3, incredible Utsuri.

[Rivkin]

Great photos! There are some that appear "easy", like #16 is Yoshimichi of Mishina, but most require some thinking. #1 looks like Shizu Kaneuji. #3 is probably ko-Aoe, but also surprisingly looks like one ko-Bizen blade that was sold recently. #5 looks like Sue Soshu, probably Tsunahiro. #12 and #7 are related to it; #12 is probably the end of Muromachi Soshu, #7 is late Edo period someone who is not the first class but recognizable name working in Soshu style.

#6 sort of looks like Yamato Hosho, but can be Sendai utsushi. 9 is some shinshinto+, not very distinctive.

#11 is some shinto smith, maybe Hizen Tadahiro. #15 is probably late Nambokucho Bizen, like Moromitsu.

#22 is sort of feels like Uda Tametsugu or maybe Sanekage. 18 is someone weird like Kongobei school. 21 feels Enju.

 

Fugh, I expressed my than my usual share of ignorant and erroneous opinions, must get some sleep.

 

Thanks!

 

Kirill R.

[vajo]

I vote for #1

That picture catch me most.

[Brian]

Uwe,
Just had a brief look, and think this is awesome! Well done...this will be fun.
Not sure how they are numbered though? Is it just a case of counting, as I don't see numbers anywhere? Will check more when I get home and have a chance.

[CSM101]

In the upper left corner are some arrows. Downsize the pic and you can see the number.

 

Uwe G.

[Rivkin]

Sorting out my guesses:

 

#1. Shizu Kaneuji.

#2 I feel its actually a quality sword, but its the only case where the pictures are a little too vague. Soshu, or at least Bizen heavily influenced by Soshu, but a little too brash and wide hamon for the classics and a little too good a condition as well. I will throw something like Taikei Naotane.

#3. Ko-Aoe, or something old and sort of similar, can be even ko Bizen,

#4 Don't know, something Shinto.

#5 Sue Soshu, can be Tsunahiro

#6  Yamato Hosho style, but quite likely Sendai utsushi.

#7 Late Soshu imitation.

#8 Pre Muromachi, something Rai related.

#9 something very late, probably shinshinto, not the first class name.

#11 some shinto smith, maybe Hizen Tadahiro.

#12 Sue Soshu, Sengaku period.

#15 late Nambokucho Bizen, like Moromitsu.

#16 Yoshimichi of Mishina

#18 someone rare and weird like Kongobei school.

#21 Enju.

#22 Uda Tametsugu or maybe Sanekage

 

From these, I suspect 1 and 3, maybe 15 are Juyo. Which brings me to the wildest of all my probably highly erroneous guesses:

#14 I think the sword is somewhat tired, hard to photograph and will look different from other angles. But, sometimes this is the way Soshu Yukimitsu looks like, which would make it TJ.

 

Kirill R.

[Jussi Ekholm]

What a great game Uwe, and with wonderful pictures.

 

I will pick #3 for the Tokubetsu Jūyō and I think my personal favorite is #18 (I like how Kirill thinks with this one and I'd too guess it can be work by rural schools which I often like).

 

I'll try to look them with better time over the weekend as there are many interesting swords in the mix. But by quickly browsing those two caught my eye the most.

[IJASWORDS]

#6 

[Brian]

I think #2 is a superb sword.

[Ooitame]

3 or 11.

[cisco-san]

I think #1 and/or #3

[Brian]

Some beautiful polishes there, and amazing to see some of the utsuri.
Btw, I really don't understand some of the hadori treatment on #12

[Curran]

Kirill went to town on it.

 

I'll just say #6.

[Robin]

#16

[Ganko]

#3 but I like #22

[Vermithrax16]

Thank you Uwe!!!! This is wildly cool.

[Alex A]

3

[raaay]

 

for me I like 3 - 18 - 20 -21 - 22 - basically I would have them all  

and is 22 - a  Norishige and juyo ?

[BIG]

Thanks Uwe, Rai Kunitsugu ?

 

Best

[CSM101]

Okay, Spoiler alert!

 

I wanted to give the correct answer next Tuesday. But since you have asked....

 

 

Uwe G.

Edit Admin......no no no...not yet

[Brian]

Uwe, I edited your post and removed the answer. Sorry but this is too much fun and interesting. Not doing pure kantei, but actually learning to spot quality.
Can we leave this until Tuesday or later? Give people at least the weekend to have a look. Anyone who really needs the answer sooner can pm you? This "game" is too much fun to end after just 2 days.
 

[vajo]

One question from a rookie. Could someone explain by looking in all of this nice pictures of great swords what the key point is to find out the tokubetsu juyo token?

 

Please forgive my stupid question but i have no clue!

 

#15 looks very old and very nice too  

[CSM101]

Hi Chris,

 

don´t worry about your question. I already work an a very long explanation.

 

 

Uwe G.

[vajo]

Perfect Uwe 

[Surfson]

Don't know, but 3, 18 and 22 are my guesses.  Almost certainly wrong!

[Lance]

I'll go with 1 or 3,  leaning more towards 3.

Regards,

Lance

[Rivkin]

I hope to sit down a little more and fill out the guesses for the rest of the swords, there are some good ones here...

Much less confident to offer any additional guesses regarding which ones are TJ. I feel is that a lot it rides on nakago, which is unknown.

[3] if ubu and signed can be TJ, and maybe [5] is some weird ubu and signed Akihiro and then it also can be TJ.

If [5] is unsigned, the chances of TJ I think are much smaller. 

 

Kirill R.

[Shugyosha]

One question from a rookie. Could someone explain by looking in all of this nice pictures of great swords what the key point is to find out the tokubetsu juyo token?

 

Please forgive my stupid question but i have no clue!

 

#15 looks very old and very nice too  

 

As my kantei skills are lacking I've tried to game it to get near to the answer; here's my logic: if I remember Darcy Brockbank's research, the majority of Juyo and Tokubetsu Juyo swords are Kamakura era and the province that has the majority of high-ranked swords is Bizen. I also remember seeing something that suggested that if a sword has utsuri, most times it will be koto Bizen.

 

Putting these things together, I'm guessing that number 3 has the greatest probability of being the Tokubetsu Juyo sword.

 

Also, I think it is reasonable to ignore the those swords with the more "rustic" hada as they are less likely to be highly ranked and likewise any rough hada as this suggests that the overall condition isn't up to snuff. 

 

Almost certainly wrong, but it has been fun playing. Thanks for posting Uwe.   

[BIG]

I catch 22

 

Besr