Gassan School

[Toryu2020]

Here’s my blade - very similar said to be Shikkake work but with an unfortunate Bizen gimei…

[Toryu2020]

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[Bruce Pennington]

I think I have this right, but seeking verification before I publish it in the Stamps doc.  Is this accurate?

mei from center one

[Bryce]

G'day Bruce,

Close, but no cigar. The left hand image looks to be Gassan Sadakatsu not Sadakazu. Below are images of Sadakazu's kao from 1867(left) and 1904(right). The middle one in your photos is Sadakatsu's from 1940, but his earlier kao was a little different. I am not as familiar with Sadamitsu so need to do a little more checking, but I wouldn't call your example "textbook".

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[francois2605]

Here's my Enomoto Sadayoshi. Purchased last year but only photographed this week.

 

Izu Mishima Ju Yusuishin Sadayoshi Saku Kore (伊豆三嶋住湧水心貞吉作之)
Showa Hinoto U 8 Gatsu (昭和丁卯八月) = 1987

 

Nagasa: 73.1 cm
Sori: 1.2 cm
Motohaba: 3.5 cm
Sakihaba: 2.5 cm
Kasane: 0.7 cm
Weight: 975 g

 

The sword has a very shallow sori, a small kissaki and a very prominent hada mixing mokume, ayasugi (ish) and chikei. The hamon is a choji midare with a lot of kinsuji. One can very clearly see the hada thanks to the use of very contrasted steels.

 

I'm fond of this swordsmith.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

11 hours ago, Bryce said:

The left hand image looks to be Gassan Sadakatsu not Sadakazu

Thanks Bryce!  I see what you mean, and I've made the correction.

[Bryce]

G'day Bruce,

On further reflection I don't think you can capture the complexity of this subject in a simple document the same way you can with stamps. As the kao are all hand chiselled, each one is slightly different and they changed over time. You can't really look at the kao of a smith in isolation from the mei and blade.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bruce Pennington]

On 5/21/2023 at 2:07 PM, Bryce said:

the kao are all hand chiselled, each one is slightly different and they changed over time.

Good points Bryce.  Some smiths kao definitely changed over time.  If I ever get to that point in the development of the Stamps doc, that would be a good section to expand.  For now, all I'm trying to do is post fair representations of each.

[IJASWORDS]

Sayagaki by GASSAN SADATOSHI on my 1933 Crown Prince GASSAN SADAKATSU. 

[Kamil]

On 3/28/2023 at 10:39 AM, Kamil said:

Hello everyone, 

I just read through the whole conversation here, searching for some examples of ko-Gassan blades, especially Gunsho 軍勝. I own one, sent it for Tokyo shinsa in February this year, waiting for the results now. I will try to make better pictures of the ji-hada and hataraki, when comes back from Japan, hopefully with tokubetsu hozon. The ji-hada is actually kind of "runnig itame", which should be typical for Gunsho. Moto-gasane is 11mm - its a big boy.  

 

I would love to see some more examples of blades from this Nanbokucho period smith, as there are non to be seen online. Also some more information about him would be great, as there is also almost none on the internet, and I didnt even find any books that would have some bio of him (I own the exhibiton one from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts). 

 

Have a great day everyone, 

 

Rgds,

 

Kamil (CZ)

 

 

Hi all, update: The blade failed NBTHK shinsa as gimei. Its now on its way to Tanobe Sensei, for final decision. I will update the opinion of Tanobe Sensei when I get it. 

Have a great day all. 

 

Kamil 

[Itomagoi]

A Gassan Tanto in my collection made by:

Gassan Sadayoshi Tsukuru (月山貞吉造)

Ansei Ni Nen Ni Gatsu Hi (安政二年二月日) A day in Feburary 1855

 

[Bryce]

G'day Peter,

I am interested in the evolution of the "Gassan habaki". The earliest ones I have seen to date appear to have been made by Sadakatsu. Do you know when yours was made?

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Itomagoi]

Hi Bryce,

unfortunately I do not know when this habaki was made. Sry.

[Bruce Pennington]

Forgive me if this has been posted before, but I couldn't bring myself to scroll through 5 pages to find out.

 

A 1940 Sadakatsu in the "kissaki moro ha zukuri" style.  Found at Sabaku Samurai site Sabaku Samurai: Japanese Swords and Collectibles

 

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

If I was asked to close my eyes and picture a "classic" Gassan school katana, this is what I would imagine. It is a Gassan Sadakatsu done in ayasugi hada with bohi and dragon horimono, dated 1920.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

I called the above blade "Classic" Gassan School, but it is certainly not "average". Only around 1 in 20 of Sadakatsu's blades had a dragon horimono.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

A little bit more about the evolution of the "Gassan" habaki. It looks like in the 1920's Gassan Sadakatsu was also keen on the "bamboo fence" style of habaki. So far I have come across 6 examples of his blades with this style of habaki. Below are solid silver gilt and gold foil examples.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

Some better photos of the 1920 dated 67cm katana by Gassan Sadakatsu done in ayasugi.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Bryce]

It is interesting to compare this subtle ayasugi, with the high contrast variety Gassan Sadakatsu also produced using mixed steels.

High contrast from a 1943 dated blade left and 1920 subtle variety right.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Jacques D.]

Photos are photos, it would be interesting to compare blades in hands

[Lewis B]

If I was to purchase a Gendaito sword it would be a Gassan Sadakazu. The blades that were being produced in the late 19th, early 20th Century are truly spectacular. Yes, they are reproducing the Koto styles, but no other School seems to get close across the board than these guys.

[Bryce]

Another interesting detail about this blade is that the hamon is gunome and follows the ayasugi hada. Normally Sadakatsu put a suguha or notare hamon on his ayasugi blades.

Cheers,

Bryce

[David Flynn]

Notare, not gunome.

[waljamada]

Here's an interesting blade imo.  Pertains to be a 15th century possibly gassan school tachi.  Here is the description:

 

A rare mid 15th century Samurai O'suriage tachi in shirasaya. Nagasa is 59.9 cm and sori is 2.3 cm displaying a deep curvature. Hada is ayasugi/masame which disappeared from swords after the Koto period. This has been polished many times but there is still considerable life in the blade. I photographed this in low light to accentuate the grain (hada) and the flash exaggerates the grain on the shinogi.It does not show like this in hand. Ayasugi/masame swords are masterpieces of forging and much more work was invested in these than other types of Nihonto. Possibly Gassan school. This is the lightest Samurai long sword I have ever owned. A very light 365 grams, that's 0.80 lbs. It is absolutely a one handed sword and handles like a feather as it is an extremely thin blade. Shirasaya is older and very nice. 

Sword is healthy in older polish.

I recieved a question earlier and will clarify that the ayasugi is on the ji. The shinogi is masame.

[IJASWORDS]

A GASSAN SADAKATSU, Hakogaki by Gassan Sadakatsu, Sayagaki by Gassan Sadatoshi. 

Thankyou to forum members and Japanese friends that were able bring this all together, thankyou to David who escorted me to Japan to find this sword in 2019. 

[lonely panet]

Looks good neil. Glad to have help

[IJASWORDS]

So, I have a question relating to my SADAKATSU I posted on Friday. It was made in December 1933 to celebrate the birth of Japan's Crown Prince, who became Emperor Akihito.

Including mine, I have only seen or read about 3 that are in existence, including this one. One was for sale at the 2019 DTI, for 3.4 million Yen, and one that was in the possession of Gassan Sadatoshi for 3million yen. 

My question is, how many of these swords were made (the best answerer I heave been given is "only a handful").   

Also, is it known how many still exist, assuming some were Gunto mounted or even lost? 

I have been told that as many as 10 celebration TANTO were made, but these 10 were the majority of his work to celebrate the birth, rather than katana or tachi. 

I have been trying to find out this info for years, any help or guidance would be appreciated.  

[David Flynn]

Interesting point Neil.  My Sadakatsu is, I believe, one of six made on the behest of the Minotagawa Shrine.  I only know of 2 that have survived, including mine.  These 6 swords, were presented to Senior Naval Officers.

[Bryce]

G'day Neil,

I have 9 different examples in my files including yours. I don't know if that includes the DTI or Gassan Sadatoshi examples. No doubt there are more that I haven't seen yet. I haven't documented all of the tanto examples yet, but there are a lot of them, at least ten.

Cheers,

Bryce

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

Just came across this video of these two guys showcasing a Gassan Sadakazu blade dated 1888. Unfortunately for me it is all in Japanese, but the ayasugi hada and hamon is very similar to the 1920 dated Sadakatsu I posted above.

Cheers,

Bryce