something to think about 2

[paulb]

As the previous post under this title created some interest I thought we might look at this one. Again take a look at the images and description.  I think despite being O-suriage it shows classic features of period, tradition and school.

See what you think:

 

 

The blade is an O-suriage katana. It is shinogi-zukuri and iori-mune. The blade has a slightly extended chu-kissaki.  The blade is wide without a great deal of taper towards the kissaki. It is relatively thin. The overall impression is of a grand imposing blade.

Nagasa: 69.7cm             Sori: 1.3cm                      

 Motohaba 3.1 cm     sakihaba 2.4cm

Kasane 0.6cm.

Jigane:

The hada is a combination of tight itame, nagare and masame. The masame is particularly noticeable close to and running in to the hamon. The itame becomes tighter in the monouchi and there is bright ji-nie present throughout the length of the blade. In several places the ji-nie joins together to form bright Tobiyaki hovering above the hamon.  The overall appearance is bright and clear making it look hard and sharp.

Hamon:

Starting at the hamachi in a thin suguha it gradually increases in width to form a broad undulating midare with rounded togari. The Nioi-guchi is relatively thick and interspersed with bright nie. The crests of the togari are populated with slightly larger nie and at some points clusters of bright ara-nie form Tobiyaki which hover just above the hamon. Following the masame hada within the hamon nie forms sinuous lines of sunagashi which cut through the nioi-guchi. Overall the hamon is extremely complex and beautiful.

Boshi:

The boshi is ko-maru with a short kaeri. Centrally above the hamon within the kissaki there is a Tobiyaki comprised of a cluster of ko-nie. It’s positioning (on both sides) looks to be very deliberate and demonstrates incredible skill and control of the hardening process. 

Nakago:

The nakago is O-suriage with 3 mekugi ana. Although O-suriage it is well shaped and of good colour. The full length hi end in kaki-nagashi part way in to the nakago. The Yasurimei are a fine katte-sagari.

On the Omote there is a gold inlaid inscription. The Nakago has been very well reshaped and finished

[Rivkin]

At first I thought I would argue for Yamato Shizu.

The tobiyaki though hints towards tanba no kami yoshimichi I guess.. And if it has osaka-yukidashi then its certainly him.

[Bazza]

Can we see the other side of the kissaki, please??

 

BaZZa.

[paulb]

sorry Bazza I don't have that image (oversight on my part when I had it to photograph). As I remember it it was a mirror image of this side.

 

[NewB]

 the boshi in particular makes me lean towards the Mishina school.

 

 

John

[paulb]

There is no yakidashi but of course the blade is O-suriage so had there been it might have been lost when shortened.

But  also check out the dimensions it is o-suriage but the nagasa is still almost 70cm

[Shugyosha]

The dimensions don’t suggest Shinto to me: wide mihaba and thin kasane. For me there’s some Yamato influence from the hada but the jigane looks darkish and the hada is a little hadatatsu so I’m following Rivkin’s thinking with one of the Mino schools and will guess Naoe Shizu.  

[Rivkin]

2 hours ago, paulb said:

There is no yakidashi but of course the blade is O-suriage so had there been it might have been lost when shortened.

But  also check out the dimensions it is o-suriage but the nagasa is still almost 70cm

 

Then I would go Yamato Shizu, Naoe Shizu or Sue Sa.

[David Flynn]

Muramachi Kanabo?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[16k]

Muramasa?

 

Not that it looks like a typical one, but masame near the Hamon plus mirror image kind of conveys the feeling. That and what I think is a late Muromachi sugata, extended chu kissaki, thin kasane . The deliberate mirror tobiyaki... the almost jizo boshi... however, looking at the shape of the Hamon without the other details, I don’t think I would have said Muramasa.

[paulb]

I understand your thinking JP but I may have misled you. While I think the boshi is pretty much mirror image the hamon overall is not. Personally I would not think of the sugata as late muromachi. Try and imagine what its original ubu form would have been. As it is O-suriage it means that all or at least the vast majority of the original nakago is missing. If that's the case the likelihood is that the nagasa was at least 12-15cm longer, i.e. 82-85cm. This means it was a massive blade long wide and thin. I think this places it earlier than you are thinking.

[Jacques D.]

I wonder what rounded togari means... Blunt, dull ?

[16k]

27 minutes ago, paulb said:

I understand your thinking JP but I may have misled you. While I think the boshi is pretty much mirror image the hamon overall is not. Personally I would not think of the sugata as late muromachi. Try and imagine what its original ubu form would have been. As it is O-suriage it means that all or at least the vast majority of the original nakago is missing. If that's the case the likelihood is that the nagasa was at least 12-15cm longer, i.e. 82-85cm. This means it was a massive blade long wide and thin. I think this places it earlier than you are thinking.

 

!actually, i was hesitating. the lack of tapering could have been Muromachi but the lenth made me think about Muromachi. So with the other details pointing towards Muramasa, I said Muromachi but since i suck at this kind of exercize, i knew from the start i was wrong!

[16k]

8 minutes ago, Jacques D. said:

I wonder what rounded togari means... Blunt, dull ?

rounded i guess...

[David Flynn]

Re think, Nabokucho  Taima.

[16k]

yes, Nanbokucho trhen, as for the school, i have no idea but id say Mino in general.

[DoTanuki yokai]

I say this is ko uda.

[paulb]

 

The sword has Tokubetsu Hozon papers attributing it to Naoe-Shizu.

Below I have outlined why I believe they reached this conclusion. Please remember this is opinion (mine) not a statement of fact.

Sugata- The blade is O-suriage but retains a magnificent sugata. It is wide and thin. when Ubu the nagasa would most likely have been 80cm. The shape points very strongly to a blade made in the Nambokucho period.

Hada- The hada is extremely clear (stands out as the NBTHK say) it is a combination of a sinuous itame and masame and has a great deal of activity in the form of ji-nie and chickei. It appears to be a combination of Soshu and Yamato hada which would lead one to Mino as a likely possibility. 

Hamon- Extremely active with a great deal of nie and sunagashi. 

The factors above point to early Mino work so possible contenders would be Yamato-Shizu or Naoe Shizu. Examples of Yamato-Shizu blades I have seen tend to have a very natural midare hamon. In contrast Naoe-Shizu looks more "constructed" or contrived with greater variation in rise and fall towards the ha. I think this blade falls very much in to the latter form.

Taking all the above in to account an attribution to Naoe-Shizu would seem a reasonable conclusion.

Regardless of attribution this is a stunning sword and one I think would very likely pass juyo shinsa were it to be submitted.

Thanks to all who had a go and congratulations to those that got it right

 

 

 

[Jacques D.]

Just to add for beginners 

 

Hamon of this sword is notare based with gunome midare  (rounded togari doesn't exist) there is nie and sunagashi.

[paulb]

Thank you for clarifying that Jacques. In the original description I was attempting to describe what I was seeing rather than defining a form but as always I appreciate your contribution.

 

[DoTanuki yokai]

After shizu was so early in the game I felt kind of influenced and tried my best to find something by my own and failed 

I learned a good lesson and had some fun.

I hope their will be a part 3 

[NewB]

I want to take the time and thank everyone for all clarifications and in-depth analysis. 

 

I absolutely love it

 

 

 

John