Searching for Omura Kaboku

[MarcoUdin]

Does anybody on the forum own a blade by Kaboku. I would love to see some examples. A dream of mine is to own one in gunto mounts.

 

Thanks in advance 

[Toryu2020]

I think to find one in any mounts would be a dream for most...

-t

[MarcoUdin]

Very true, btw I read your write up about kaboku. Very informative and it's what got me so interested in him. Thanks for that, now I'm stuck looking for the impossible 😉

 

[Brian]

For those wondering

[MarcoUdin]

Thanks Brian.

 

I would also be interested in any of his students here isa lineage tree

 

[MarcoUdin]

I'm surprised nobody has something by him. I know he didn't make that many blades but if anybody were to have 1 I would assume they'd be on this board.

[Toryu2020]

There was one in Australia a few years back but beyond my budget. He is very highly sought after in Japan as well, so not a lot in circulation. In five years in Japan going to four or more kantei-kai a month I never saw one. Don't recall seeing any pop up in the Dai To-ken Ichi catalogues either. Only ever saw the one blade in the TNM exhibit in 1997 and it was spectacular...

-t

[MarcoUdin]

I only know the location of one in a private collection in Florida. It's a beautiful wakizashi, in shirisaya though.

[general_piffle]

Also fascinated by Kaboku, I started studying his apprentices and ended up with a beautiful wakazashi and a very powerful katana both by Musashi Taro Yasukuni. Both lovely pieces with more than a small influence from Kaboku. I look at them as a blend of skills, materials, and influences between the two sword-smiths.

[general_piffle]

At my request, Markus Sesko put a PDF together for me of Kaboku's students. Markus has always been brilliant in sharing and collating this sort of information. I've attached the PDF here to benefit others also fascinated by this sword-smith and his apprentices.

 

KabokuStudents.pdfFetching info...

[Toryu2020]

Nice!

[Ronin 47]

I have a wakazashi by Kaneyasu. Will try to get some more photos up at some point if and when I find some time. 

[MarcoUdin]

That would be great!

[Brendan campbell]

Hello , in reply to your question , dose anyone own a blade by Omura Kaboku , well yes I have , what I think is a very rare blade 

its a jumonji yari , double signed , I have had a window polished on 1 side of the main blade, it’s very alive the grain is fantastic , I know he is  a smith , who could quite possibly have his signature faked, but would you go to the trouble of doing this to a Yari.

it has been on the wall of , what we call  in England a pub (bar) for over 50 years , then on the wall of a antique dealers house for around 10 years , I acquired it last year . It is in very sound condition , no flaws , just tarnished from years of resting on 2 walls for over 60 years . I have just joined the message board to so I hope I have gave you new information. It has a short pole 

it still has mother of pearl on the shaft and is double pegged with copper mekugi , it took me carefully 2 days to convince the blade to come out of the pole , no damage , but very tight and just staring to get very light live rust in the tang. Brendan 

 

 

[Toryu2020]

Can't wait to see the full restoration. Certainly looks like a good candidate at this point...

 

-t

[Brendan campbell]

Hello , in reply to your question , dose anyone own a blade by Omura Kaboku , well yes I have , what I think is a very rare blade 

its a jumonji yari , double signed , I have had a window polished on 1 side of the main blade, it’s very alive the grain is fantastic , I know he is  a smith , who could quite possibly have his signature faked, but would you go to the trouble of doing this to a Yari.

it has been on the wall of , what we call  in England a pub (bar) for over 50 years , then on the wall of a antique dealers house for around 10 years , I acquired it last year . It is in very sound condition , no flaws , just tarnished from years of resting on 2 walls for over 60 years . I have just joined the message board to so I hope I have gave you new information. It has a short pole 

it still has mother of pearl on the shaft and is double pegged with copper mekugi , it took me carefully 2 days to convince the blade to come out of the pole , no damage , but very tight and just staring to get very light live rust in the tang. Brendan 

 

Hi Thomas,  not sure if I will have a full restoration done, I’ve had in over 48 years of collecting over a 100 swords , which 

with my late father we acquired . When he passed away , I sold them all . Each one had a particular memory, of were we had 

gone and found them. It was time to let some body else look after them. This is the first Yari I have ever owned . Now I’m retired, I keep my eye open , but there are not the outlets in England like there used to be to find them , it’s all on the Internet .

Brendan .

[Toryu2020]

Lots of pubs in England, has to b e a few more wall-hangers out there!

 

-t

[general_piffle]

  On 5/16/2022 at 8:27 PM, Brendan campbell said:

Hello , in reply to your question , dose anyone own a blade by Omura Kaboku , well yes I have , what I think is a very rare blade 

its a jumonji yari , double signed , I have had a window polished on 1 side of the main blade, it’s very alive the grain is fantastic , I know he is  a smith , who could quite possibly have his signature faked, but would you go to the trouble of doing this to a Yari.

it has been on the wall of , what we call  in England a pub (bar) for over 50 years , then on the wall of a antique dealers house for around 10 years , I acquired it last year . It is in very sound condition , no flaws , just tarnished from years of resting on 2 walls for over 60 years . I have just joined the message board to so I hope I have gave you new information. It has a short pole 

it still has mother of pearl on the shaft and is double pegged with copper mekugi , it took me carefully 2 days to convince the blade to come out of the pole , no damage , but very tight and just staring to get very light live rust in the tang. Brendan 

 

 

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Almost a year old, but 1 year in nihonto is a single breath. This mei looks very suspect to me. The piece itself has little to none of the classic Kaboku hallmarks, that I can see. Personal opinion - but if it's genuine I'd be amazed.

[Toryu2020]

The powder doesn't help - curious to see more of that grain - have you compared the Mei to known examples?

 

-t

[general_piffle]

  On 6/29/2023 at 11:40 PM, Toryu2020 said:

The powder doesn't help - curious to see more of that grain - have you compared the Mei to known examples?

 

-t

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Yes, you're right about the powder. Here's a comparison of just 2 characters, 2 pics (actual and rubbing) from a papered Kaboku and a pic from the example above. They're quite different, not just in form but what I would describe as 'surety' or 'positivity of stroke' when engraving. The example above seems almost timid/apologetic and the papered versions of the same characters have a definite confidence about them.

 

 

[MarcoUdin]

Never too late, but I agree with Thomas. While the signature appears suspect, the powder ruins the appearance of what the actual cut might be

[Toryu2020]

The form of the "Mura" character is completely different - If I didn't know better I would say the Yari version is the one used by Muramasa - any signs this is a Muramasa with an altered signature?

 

-t