"First" Nihonto - Mumei Sue-Mihara wakizashi

[RobCarter3]

Hello all,

 

This is my first post on this board, which I've greatly enjoyed reading for some time.  I was collecting European military-era swords, but I've been bitten hard by the Nihonto bug over the last 6 months or so.  This isn't actually my first Nihonto, just the first that I'm willing to publicly own up to purchasing.  My real first was a cheap o-suriage wakizashi in rough condition that we'd euphemistically call a "study sword."  I've already passed that one along. 

 

This sword is a mumei wakizashi in denchu-style koshirae that I purchased from Aoi Art.  Although the sword hasn't been to shinsa, Mr. Tsuruta deemed it Sue-Mihara work from approximately the Muromachi Meio era.  I'd be interested to know if you agree. 

 

Nagasa: 51.9cm

Sori: 1.5cm

Motohaba: 2.76cm

Sakihaba: 2.62cm

Kasane: 0.56cm

 

The hada is ko-itame which I have done my best to photograph in different lighting conditions.  Mr. Tsuruta saw shirake utsuri but I struggle to see it myself -- might be my novice eyes.  The hamon is suguha in ko-nie deki.  The nioiguchi is tight, uniform, and bright. 

 

In hindsight I should have had the sword submitted to shinsa while it was in Japan.  Rookie mistake.  I was impatient and wanted it in my hands. 

 

I attached my own photos, as well as the Aoi Art oshigata and hamon photos, which I could not replicate if I had 1 million years. 

 

- Robert C

[Rivkin]

Most likely - yes, don't know about specifically Meio. I can see shirakke utsuri in this case its basically about 1cm wide, vague white band a bit above the habuchi.  In most sue-mihara one hopes for a more active jigane, with mokume and such, here its not the case, and its not an exception in any case. It can be Bizen, the style is not overly distinctive.

[Mark S.]

Years ago, my first 'real' nihonto purchase was a mumei Kai-Mihara katana that the NTHK-NPO (Miyano Sensei, may he RIP) had attributed to Den Masamori.  My second blade was an inexpensive mumei wakizashi I came across at a show that had very similar attributes to the katana and I thought would make a nice companion blade, although I wasn't sure which school it was.  At a later NTHK-NPO shinsa... yep... Den Kai-Mihara Masashige.  I guess I had an eye for Kai-Mihara blades.  Since that time, I have always liked Mihara blades, although I would like to start saving/looking for a much earlier time period Mihara blade someday.  I know the later school isn't looked at with as much appreciation as some, but they still speak to me.  

 

Hard to tell from pictures, but I would have expected to see a bit more kaeri on this blade?  It may be there... I just can't see it.

 

Here are just a couple Mihara references you might be interested in... if you haven't found them already.  

 

https://markussesko.com/2013/09/04/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-bingo-smiths/

 

http://www.nihontocraft.com/Mihara_Nihonto.html

 

http://www.sho-shin.com/sanyo13.htm

 

[RobCarter3]

@Mark S. The long Mihara kaeri is there -- just incredibly hard to photograph (with my limited skills/equipment).  I think I finally got the camera to pick it up.  You can see the light reflecting off the nie in the kaeri.  Thanks for the Mihara links, I'll be reading through all of those!

 

[Jacques D.]

That sword is pretty tired, hamachi has gone off and i would say we are facing to a tsukare utsuri rather a shirake 

 

 

[Mark S.]

14 hours ago, RobCarter3 said:

@Mark S. The long Mihara kaeri is there 

 

I see it now... thanks!  I hope this isn't too too basic and definitely not questioning how much you know, but I figure more info is better than less...Mihara smiths were centered in Bingo province.  Every so often you will also find some references to Bishu.  Bishu is a larger area made up of Bingo, Bitchu and Bizen.  You may also find references that the provinces are located along the "Sanyodo (Sanyoudou) - The Sunny Mountain Road".  I was a bit confused when I first started researching, which is why I bring it up.