Ko uda Smith list.

[Paz]

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone has a list or can direct me to page that has a list of all smiths that worked in the Nanbokucho period or earlier for the ko uda of sagami etchu. 

 

I understand Ko uda has smiths such as norishige and kunimitsu, kunnimune I beleive aswell ? 

 

I know masamune was the pioneer of the soshu tradition. But im trying to pin down more smiths of this school before the muromachi period. 

 

Do ko uda sword usually fetch Tokubetsu and higher ? 

I'm gathering yes? 

 

I've read few books but can't seem to find a list of all smiths of the school. If known at all. 

 

Thanks. 

 

Regards 

[NewB]

Hello

 

i found this

 

 

https://nihonto.com/uda-school/

 

http://www.sho-shin.com/hoku14.htm

 

p.s toku ho would be solely based on the blade itself imho

 

j

[French nihonto]

The uda school especially, and a little Ko-Uda as well, was the easy attribution for the blade that have a difficult reading. And there are many more uda and ko uda attributions than actually created works. 
Kunifusa's works are the most highly rated, I think. The Ko-Uda school is relatively good (often a little underestimated, I think), while the Uda school produces rather scholastic blades with less charm. I own a Ko-Uda Tenshō-suriage (type of suriage applied to blades generally appreciated) paper attributed to Kunifusa, and it's a nice work. 

[b.hennick]

Norishige was not a Ko Uda smith. He was a Soshu smith who lived in Etchu.

[Rivkin]

Its a very difficult topic as the existence of signed Kamakura period's Uda blades is disputed and the names recognized as the earliest - Kunimitsu, Kunifusa and Kunimune were widely used in Muromachi period.

A lot of sellers take Kunifusa attribution and argue its the earliest Uda.

[Jussi Ekholm]

I think finding the actual smiths is going to be bit tricky, as not too many signed old Uda works are remaining. While in comparison you will see that Ko-Uda seems to be somewhat common attribution for mumei items. I have tried to gather all authenticated works by smiths I have been able to find. As Kirill said above the difficulty comes when there are multiple generations using the same name.

 

Kunimitsu - I believe there are 2 tachi that are seen as late Kamakura period work, and 1 tanto that is dated 1321 but only shumei, no signature on it. Then there few signed tachi and tanto that are seen as late Nanbokuchō - early Muromachi work. So they would be 2 different generations.

Kunifusa - I have 22 signed blades, that are from Nanbokuchō - early Muromachi, I believe sources state there were 2 generations working during this but personally I couldn't differentiate. There is the famous 1405 dated tanto, it is very fine work as it was at display at NBTHK when I visited this summer. There is also 1389 dated blade, although Jūyō 16 book has it as 康正元年 1455 but other sources have it as 康応元年 1389. So NBTHK sees it as 3rd gen work and even state so in item description, where as Kunzan described this as Ko-Uda work. I cannot really say which is correct as both are expert opinions.

Kunimune - I believe I only have 1 signed Nanbokuchō tachi, rest of the signed items I have for Kunimune seems to be early Muromachi onwards.

Kunihisa - There are few signed items that are possibly late Nanbokuchō - early Muromachi work, and there is 1400 dated tanto. Otherwise signed works seem to be early Muromachi onwards.

Kunitsugu - There seems to be 1 tachi that is seen as Nanbokuchō, and rest of the signed items seem to be early Muromachi.

Tomonori - 7 signed tachi & kodachi, late Nanbokuchō - early Muromachi work.

Tomotsugu - 10 signed works, late Nanbokuchō - early Muromachi work.

Tomohisa - 2 signed tanto, late Nanbokuchō - early Muromachi work.

Tomomitsu - 1 tanto, possibly early Muromachi

Tomoshige - 1 tanto, late Nanbokuchō

Tomohiro - 1 tachi, early Muromachi

 

In total I counted I have so far found 87 signed items that I think are work of early Uda school. However to note few of these are only described as Muromachi period in general, so they could be going into mid-Muromachi. It is always very fun to dive into stuff like this.

 

 

 

[Paz]

Thanks jussi that's helpful. 

 

But im very confused at this @b.hennick. From books and sources I've read, norishige is has been related to the ko uda school as either founder. Or his students had found the school. 

 

regards 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Could you please show which books & sources put him as a founder of Ko Uda?

[Soshin]

I never had a Ko-Uda work in my collection. I once had in my collection a mumei tanto with an attribution to "Den Uda Kunimune". The NTHK date the tantō production to the (Tenbun 天⽂) era of the late Muromachi Period (室町時代後期) circa 1532-1555 CE. Based upon the workmanship the maker of this tantō was likely the 4th generation Kunimune found in Japanese Swordsmith Revised by W. M. Hawley ID# KUN655.