Ron STL Posted March 13, 2020 Report Posted March 13, 2020 Looking at a very pleasantly mounted tanto that may soon reside here. No pictues of the koshira at the moment, but did snap a shot of the signed fuchi. Signed in grass writing, I am lost trying to read it. Anybody out there able to read this mei? Nice kao might help. The tanto is signed/dated to Bizen Katsumitsu, 1521. A Jo saku rated smith. Three previous Katsumitsu are rated Saijo, to my surprise. Just a pleasant "package" that needs a new keeper for awhile. Thanks for any info on the maker. Ron STL Quote
Ken-Hawaii Posted March 15, 2020 Report Posted March 15, 2020 Is that the fuchi or the koiguchi? Quote
Ron STL Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Posted March 16, 2020 Picture is of fuchi. Attached, a shot of the koshirae. Ron STL 5 Quote
Yuradneprov Posted March 19, 2020 Report Posted March 19, 2020 Can you show a couple pictures of the actual blade and nakago. Thanks Quote
Rivkin Posted March 19, 2020 Report Posted March 19, 2020 The tanto is signed/dated to Bizen Katsumitsu, 1521. A Jo saku rated smith. Three previous Katsumitsu are rated Saijo, to my surprise. Just a pleasant "package" that needs a new keeper for awhile. Thanks for any info on the maker. Ron STL [?] I might be completely in the wrong here, but I doubt this rating was done by Fujishiro. Can be someone retyping his information, though I am saying this without actually looking. Kirill R. Quote
Ron STL Posted March 19, 2020 Author Report Posted March 19, 2020 I tried a couple times to post some pictures of the tanto today, but kept running into a problem completing the post. I'll send a few photos here and the the otherf few with a separate post. As for the rating, I'm pretty sure i checked that "Josaku" rating in Fujishiro and not just in the translation volumn. This Katsumitsu apparently is not one of the family (generations) but a branch member. Still trying to convince myself of the details. Comments welcomed. Ron STL 1 Quote
Ron STL Posted March 19, 2020 Author Report Posted March 19, 2020 Okay, my follow-up photos of the Katsumitsu. Ron STL Quote
SteveM Posted March 20, 2020 Report Posted March 20, 2020 Is it possible to get another picture of the mei on the fuchi? The mei is partially lost in the glare. It looks like 清 something, possibly 清定 (Kiyosada), with a three-kanji go next to it. The go is kind of like 萬台齊, but there is no such name/go in Wakayama, so I don't think either of those are correct. I think 清 is correct, but the second one, while having the same upper part as 定, has a different lower part, so 清-something, but I can't figure it out. The go ends with 斉(齊) which is typical, but the top two throw me. Quote
Yuradneprov Posted March 21, 2020 Report Posted March 21, 2020 I have a katsumitsu wak. Here is the mei. There are 6generation for the most part the mei looks similar on all. Quote
Rivkin Posted March 24, 2020 Report Posted March 24, 2020 I tried a couple times to post some pictures of the tanto today, but kept running into a problem completing the post. I'll send a few photos here and the the otherf few with a separate post. As for the rating, I'm pretty sure i checked that "Josaku" rating in Fujishiro and not just in the translation volumn. This Katsumitsu apparently is not one of the family (generations) but a branch member. Still trying to convince myself of the details. Comments welcomed. Ron STL Sorry, I meant other Muromachi generations being sai-jo-saku. That seemed quite unusual. Kirill R. 1 Quote
Ron STL Posted March 28, 2020 Author Report Posted March 28, 2020 Is it possible to get another picture of the mei on the fuchi? The mei is partially lost in the glare. It looks like 清 something, possibly 清定 (Kiyosada), with a three-kanji go next to it. The go is kind of like 萬台齊, but there is no such name/go in Wakayama, so I don't think either of those are correct. I think 清 is correct, but the second one, while having the same upper part as 定, has a different lower part, so 清-something, but I can't figure it out. The go ends with 斉(齊) which is typical, but the top two throw me. I have tried a scan of the fuchi to clarify the signature, and it appears to be as clear as it is possible. I'll attach a copy of this scan in hopes that it will help identify the carver. I believe you're referring to the two kanji - Kiyo... - above the kao, correct? Let's see how it goes. Thanks to helping out here. That script is beyond me. Ron STL Quote
Tigerinbamboo Posted March 29, 2020 Report Posted March 29, 2020 Very pretty tanto and koshirae ???? Quote
SteveM Posted March 29, 2020 Report Posted March 29, 2020 Thank you for the scan. It doesn't bring me any closer to an answer. In fact, it leads me to doubt that either 清 or 定 is correct. Too difficult for me. Quote
Ron STL Posted March 29, 2020 Author Report Posted March 29, 2020 Appreciate the attempt to translate, Steve. I'll just not worry about who the maker was. One day somebody will make a computer program to "face recognize" the many kao on such fittings. That too, sounds impossible but then I'm a dinosaur when it comes to such technology. Ron STL Quote
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