The works of Gassan Sadakazu

[Bryce]

Here are another couple of examples of Sadakatsu boshi. The top one is a Bizen den blade dated Taisho 10 and the bottom is a Soshu den blade dated Showa 13.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

Here are some shots of a Gassan Sadakazu tanto dated 1867, which is very similar to the 1863 dated Sadayoshi tanto I posted earlier. It has very similar masame hada with the grain completely folded around on itself in the boshi, just like in the Sadayoshi signed example.

 

Does anyone know the term for this? 

 

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

I have since discovered another three tanto and a katana dated 1865 - 1870 where Sadakazu used this technique.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

Here are some shots of the Gassan Sadayoshi yoroi-doshi tanto dated 1863. I believe the blade was made and signed by Sadakazu for his master.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

One of the reasons why I am fascinated with the Gassan smiths, is that they are the complete package. Not only are they excellent swordsmiths, but they also carve beautiful horimono, make their own habaki and from time to time make their own tsuba. AOIJapan recently had a magnificent example of this by Gassan Sadakazu. The sturdy blade which is forged in masame, is dated 1866 and has beautiful Fudo Myo horimono. The original koshirae includes a tsuba signed by Sadakazu. A similar tsuba is shown in the "Gassan Sadaichi Kaiko Ten" book.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

I find the stamps he used on the tsuba interesting. It suggests that he may have sometimes used different stamps to the few that I have seen marking his blades.

Below is a shot of the koshirae that was with the sword. Tsuruta San of AOIJapan thinks that Sadakazu may have made all of the metal work for the koshirae. The fact that he isn't absolutely sure suggests that only the tsuba must be signed.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

Here are some more of the beautiful photos that AOIJapan posted of the kissaki of that blade.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[davel]

Btw the original pdf moved to here https://www.metmuseu...eum-journal-v-5-1972

[Bryce]

Thanks Dave,

Just a quick note that I disagree with a couple of points raised in the article. The tanto in figure 9 that the author says is gimei is actually shoshin. The NBTHK paper these to Sadakazu. I have no explanation for why these mei look so different, but Sadakazu did use a number of different stamps throughout his career and the work in these blades does look like Sadakazu's. Also while I agree the katana blade in figures 12-15 was probably made by Sadakatsu, it was also signed by Sadakatsu for his father, rather than being signed by Sadakazu. 

Cheers,

Bryce