New Acquisition

[Jwrussell]

So, made my first couple of leaps into stewardship lately. This is my first Katana. A mumei piece. Just under 65cm nagsa, kasane of .73cm. Motohaba of 3.06cm and sakihaba of 2.14cm, with a weight of 730 grams. Overall there is a feeling of slenderness to me. I don't have much to compare to, that is just my "feeling". I'll post more details, but figure I would leave some room for discussion and guesses before posting the attribution. I welcome any and all thoughts. My apologies for the less than wonderful pictures, this was my first attempt. And it looks like it will be multiple posts as I can't figure out how to down size these...

[Jwrussell]

[Jwrussell]

[Jwrussell]

[Jwrussell]

Video.MOV

[Jwrussell]

Again, apologies for the quality. That video looks much better on my phone than it does on here. Probably the level of quality from compression...

[JH Lee]

Looks purdy to me~  <3

[ChrisW]

A very nice looking blade!

[NewB]

😲

 

 

 

 

 

John

[Jwrussell]

Any guesses on time period, smith, etc,? Let me know if you need to see something better and I will do my best to take more pictures. 

[Geraint]

Dear Jason.

 

So you have an ubu mumei katana with an extended kissaki.  Tell us what you can see, the photographs don't do much good.  What about any sign of yakidashi?  What does the boshi do?  What is the hamon and any activities you can see?   How about the nakago, what can you see there?  From your study what time periods would you expect to see a katana of that nagasa with an extended kissaki?

 

Looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

 

All the best.

 

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Before you panic, Jason, take a look at https://markussesko.com/kantei/

 

Markus walks you through a university-level kantei. Great learning experience.

[Jwrussell]

Gentlemen, no panic necessary or impending! :D

 

This is a papered blade. I already have an attribution. It was simply my hope to gin up some conversation from this group prior to posting it. However, I will endeavor to answer some of Geraint’s questions and post some more relevant pictures in the next few days. Perhaps this will help some:

[NewB]

Yoshimichi blade?

 

 

Or within the school? 

 

 

Very very very nice

 

You bought it from a reputable place I presume , so show us the paper, teaser

 

 

John

[Jwrussell]

Patience my Dark Friend. 

 

I will post the paper, just want to see if anyone else wants to take a stab. 

[NewB]

No rush, I am just eager to find out whether I am improving .. most likely I have a looooooong way to go

 

Cheers

 

John

[Surfson]

I'm thinking Osaka school during the shinto period, maybe around 1700.  

 

[Surfson]

Could also be Echizen.  It looks like utsuri in your movie, but I assume that is an optical illusion.

[Jwrussell]

I will post the paper on Monday. In the meantime, here are some further notes and pictures. 
 

to Geraint:

Regarding the Boshi, I find it incredibly difficult to not only photograph, but view clearly. To my eyes, my best guess is a Midare Komi. The style of the Hamon clearly flows into the Kissaki and hence the Boshi. Here are some further pictures. 

[Jwrussell]

And another Boshi picture, highly “messed with” on my iPhone. Not sure if it’s better or worse. 
 

 

[Jwrussell]

Further to Geraint’s question of Yakisashi. I find it difficult to answer this question, but I believe it is a very important one to clear up. My understanding of Yakidashi is the exact point at which the hamon begins, below the hamachi. Interestingly, I find multiple definitions of this word on my library and their differences are far from helpful! 😂

 

with that said, please refer to the image above that I posted as well as the following picture. Are we seeing Yakidashi that is simply hidden at its very beginning by patina, or is it more likely this is indeed NOT an ubu blade, but Suriage instead?

[Jwrussell]

Another tweaked image of the other side...

[Geraint]

Dear Jason.

 

Yakidashi refers to a smoothing of the hamon above the machi in a Shinto blade, not the end of the hamon inside the nakago.   There are few signs that your blade is suriage, the yasurime appear to be higaki, there is a single mekugi ana and the jiri is well finished.  The kissaki is extended and from the lines it would have been originally a little more extended than it is now, look at the relationship between the ko shinogi and the ha in the kissaki.  No yakidashi and midare komi boshi suggests koto, yasurime suggest Mino den.  The kissaki suggest sue koto.

 

You have not described the hamon and the pictures do not do it justice.  What do you see here?

 

Looking forward to where this ends up.

 

All the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jwrussell]

  On 5/29/2021 at 6:32 PM, Surfson said:

Could also be Echizen.  It looks like utsuri in your movie, but I assume that is an optical illusion.

Expand  

Hmmm...maybe, maybe not? Though I only see this in this distinct area, not on the other side or further up the blade. 

 

 

[Tom Darling]

Perhaps 2nd gen. Tamba no Kami Yoshimichi,  plus gen. But, I doubt it,  because the yasurime is too weak, not distinguished, poor quality.

[Jwrussell]

Ok folks. Last bit of info and pics. As promised I will post the paper tomorrow. The seller’s description calls out Itame and Masame Hada and Gumome-Midare and Choji-Midare mixed Hamon with Sunagashi and Kinsuji present. I have had a terrible time trying to classify the Hamon myself. “MIXED” is definitely the correct word for me. I don’t believe the polish is quite where it needs to be for me to truly see everything that is there. That said, with every turn of the blade there is something new to see. 

[Jwrussell]

[Jwrussell]

[Jwrussell]

[DoTanuki yokai]

Late koto mino kanetsune or kanefusa is my best guess.