Jrbjag Posted January 15, 2022 Report Posted January 15, 2022 I've been through the kanji tables 3 times now, and can't find any that look like they've got a check mark off to the right. For the time being I've dubbed this one the "greek pi with a hat to the left, check mark with swoosh to the right" kanji! Quote
ROKUJURO Posted January 15, 2022 Report Posted January 15, 2022 John, to increase your confusion, there are a few swordsmiths who wrote this way. 1 Quote
Jrbjag Posted January 15, 2022 Author Report Posted January 15, 2022 Yasu! Thanks for the point 1 Quote
Jrbjag Posted January 15, 2022 Author Report Posted January 15, 2022 3 minutes ago, ROKUJURO said: John, to increase your confusion, there are a few swordsmiths who wrote this way. Oh great! Did they do this for a reason? Seems like muscle memory would favor a nicer, more legible signature made the conventional way. Perhaps the samurai equivalent of the hook shot! 1 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted January 15, 2022 Report Posted January 15, 2022 John, it might have been intended as a distinguishing feature for a MEI and was more difficult to copy. Leonardo Da Vinci made most of his notes the same way, and this might have to do with how his brain worked best. 1 Quote
Jrbjag Posted January 15, 2022 Author Report Posted January 15, 2022 That's very interesting - did not know that about Da Vinci, either! Another question for those more talented at this than I. The signature reads kaneyasu: I only see two smiths who signed kaneyasu with two characters, and neither look like this one: These smiths signed in that character form, but with more characters according to the database. Is the next step in this process to research other kaneyasu swords which are known to be one of these 4, and compare the lines for identifying marks? Best, John Does this Quote
Shugyosha Posted January 15, 2022 Report Posted January 15, 2022 You need to Google “hidari” Kaneyasu who had the title Mutsu (no) kami and compare the workmanship of his blades with yours. This is the smith that Jean is referring to who wrote his kanji backwards. 1 Quote
Jrbjag Posted January 15, 2022 Author Report Posted January 15, 2022 Thanks John! Deciphering these is quite the puzzle. Did you know to look to Hidari simply from experience? Quote
Shugyosha Posted January 16, 2022 Report Posted January 16, 2022 Kind of. I knew there was a smith with the nickname "hidari something" who was famous for writing his mei back to front so I had quick google to see if it tallied with the name of the smith on your blade. The search also chucked out the "Mutsu (no) kami" part so it was possible to distinguish him from the other Kaneyasu in the list posted above. It seems like an interesting sword, do you have any pictures of the blade? 1 Quote
Jrbjag Posted January 16, 2022 Author Report Posted January 16, 2022 3 hours ago, Shugyosha said: Kind of. I knew there was a smith with the nickname "hidari something" who was famous for writing his mei back to front so I had quick google to see if it tallied with the name of the smith on your blade. The search also chucked out the "Mutsu (no) kami" part so it was possible to distinguish him from the other Kaneyasu in the list posted above. It seems like an interesting sword, do you have any pictures of the blade? Sure, and actually not mine. Just one at auction where the koshirae caught my eye so I picked as an example to see what I could learn about it. To my eye, it looks like someone polished in a non traditional manner and obscured the hamon. I'm using this to better educate myself, so much appreciate any observations - good, bad, ugly! https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/120144308_japanese-antique-samurai-sword-signed-w-stand Quote
Shugyosha Posted January 16, 2022 Report Posted January 16, 2022 Hi John, Something seems a little odd about the tip of the blade as though it has been broken and has had some surgery, probably by taking metal from the mune side, that has distorted the overall shape in order not to lose the boshi. The sword seems too thin in this area and the kissaku too stubby. Looking in detail at the mei, the colour of rust inside the strokes of the kanji seems newer than the patina on the tang. This, along with the smith’s title not being included, raises my suspicions that it’s a later add-on and so gimei. I’ve, not otherwise compared the mei with authenticated versions though. I think that most of the value in this package would lie with the fittings if anywhere. That said there are some marks on the lacquer of the scabbard that suggest that the metal fittings near the end have been moved or replaced. Also, the fuchi, the metal piece nearest the guard on the hilt, doesn’t seem to match, but that might be my eye misleading me. Anyway, I can see (or at least suspect) enough warning signs to put me off bidding if I couldn’t resolve them by viewing the item in hand. Quote
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