My first nihonto purchase

[Bazza]

Franco wrote:

>  Yamanaka describes one type of utsuri, the name (???) slips my mind at this time, where tired over polished steal on nihonto can be mistaken for utsuri. 

 

It is tsukare utsuri.

https://markussesko....i-2-jigane-jihada-3/

 

BaZZa.

[Rivkin]

I think with tsukare utsuri the hada disappears or is subdued in the dark section. Its also tends to be associated with Muromachi blades. It also tends to be spotty and uneven.

[Lewis B]

I don't believe this is tsukare utsuri. Firstly the Hada looks unchanged from Hamon to shinogi-ji and the foggy effect is consistent both sides along the entire length of the blade. In hand it looks like a fine layer of smaller nie particles. Secondly, Tanobe wrote the sayagaki last year, meeting the dealer and his English colleague in person. He would not have signed it had he thought the blade possessed such a major defect. On the contrary, he was very complimentary, suggesting in his opinion, it had juyo potential. Blade has not been polished since he examined it according to the dealer. 

 

I am getting a macro lens and proper lighting to take detailed pics of the blade following a post by @ Brano, who IMHO takes some of the best photos I've seen on NMB. 

[Franco D]

2 hours ago, Lewis B said:

I don't believe this is tsukare utsuri.

 

Just to be clear what brought the subject of tsukare utsuri to mind was the image Bjorn Lundin posted. Nothing to do with your sword.

 

Regards

[BjornLundin]

Sorry did not want to hijack the thread. Mine is unlikely to have tsukare utsuri from my observation. I may create a new post of this old battle scared blade after it has gone through restoration and +- papers. 

[Lewis B]

5 hours ago, Franco D said:

 

Just to be clear what brought the subject of tsukare utsuri to mind was the image Bjorn Lundin posted. Nothing to do with your sword.

 

Regards

Don't worry, you're not first to raise the possibility of tsukare utsuri. I showed the video to a well known Togishi and he suggested that TU could be an explanation for the effect. He also said it could be an artifact from the polishing. He really needs to see the sword in hand to give a proper assessment though. The fact there is very little reference material on this feature is fascinating in of itself. Scouring online photos I only see it on blades from the late Kamakura/Nambokucho era's. One explanation was that it was intended by the swordsmiths to provide additional strength along the JI.

[Lewis B]

Practicing some photos of the blade using a tripod and studio light. Really need to get a macro lens for this kind of photography. Please excuse the bright dust particles.

 

 

[Lewis B]

Sugata

 

[Lewis B]

Nakago

[Lewis B]

Sayagaki

 

[Lewis B]

There was a slight split in the seam at the opening to the shirasaya. Before applying fresh sokui I'm attempting to fix it with the warm water technique. I have the 2 halves wrapped tightly with twine and I'll leave it a couple of weeks to cure and dry. 

In the meantime I installed the blade in it's koshirae where it does look attractive. 

 

Based on the sugata and 770g weight (nagaso of 70.6) I assume it's safe to say this would be from the Nambokucho era?

[Tokaido]

Hi Lewis,

please try to get a competent translation of the saysgaki

I do not see any mentioning of utsuri in the sayagaki, but I do see the mentioning of gunome in the hamon, which would be totally in line with work of the Shikkake school and even with Shikkake Norinaga himself.

 

Depending on where you live in Germany, you might be interested to check out the NBTHK EB for an invitation to the next meeting. There will be a meeting at Klingenmuseum Solingen on July the 20th.

Best

Andreas

[Franco D]

11 hours ago, Tokaido said:

please try to get a competent translation of the saysgaki

I do not see any mentioning of utsuri in the sayagaki,

 

A complete translation here might reveal otherwise. However, Mr. Tanobe's sayagaki does not always mention utsuri even when it is present.  

 

Regards

 

Edited June 24 by Franco D

[Lewis B]

2 hours ago, Tokaido said:

Hi Lewis,

please try to get a competent translation of the saysgaki

I do not see any mentioning of utsuri in the sayagaki, but I do see the mentioning of gunome in the hamon, which would be totally in line with work of the Shikkake school and even with Shikkake Norinaga himself.

 

Depending on where you live in Germany, you might be interested to check out the NBTHK EB for an invitation to the next meeting. There will be a meeting at Klingenmuseum Solingen on July the 20th.

Best

Andreas

Thanks for the heads up. I'm about 3hrs drive from Solingen. I sent an email to info@nbthk.eu to register.

 

As for the sayagaki, I have a partial translation (most important bits):

 

"Raised Shinogi that sharply points back towards the Mune (Shinogisuji). The Hamon is Suguha based with strong Nie, there is Yubashiri, Nijuba and Hotsure with Uchinoke being present with Hakikake Boshi. There is Gunome within the Suguha which indicates Shikkake, overall the air of Yamato den is very strong, a superior piece. "

[Lewis B]

My second blade found me sooner than expected. Interesting backstory and a blade that should fit nicely with my collecting plans. The NBTHK awarded this short katana TH Yamato Senjuin Temple papers. I just had Tanobe sensei write the Sayagaki and while he agrees, not unexpectedly, with the NBTHK, he also confirmed the blade shows characteristics of both Yamato and Soshuden schools, which fits well with a previous attribution for the sword, one that it had for generations. 

 

 

 

[Lewis B]

[Lewis B]

[Rivkin]

Yes, looks like Shikkake from Nanbokucho, a bit more ko nie oriented than some, with clear gunome pointing towards the school. Senjuin attribution feels weak to me. On the one hand, Senjuin is a very generic term, on the other hand its really a Kamakura period school and Nanbokucho items usually warrant another and more specific attribution.

[Lewis B]

I agree. Its weak. A bit like Tametsugu is the go to when the blade is less than Norishige/Go but more than Ko Uda. 

 

I posted higher Rez images on my Google Drive, which helps to better see the Ko-Nie, Chikei, Hataraki and Kaen boshi, when zoomed in:

 

https://drive.google...j-eZWYtgSKfamVWFUlsO

[Lewis B]

13 hours ago, Rivkin said:

 looks like Shikkake from Nanbokucho

After doing a bit of research on this suggestion I'm not 100% there. The jihada for Shikkake from that era tends to be less well executed and more rustic. Here is an example of a Nambokucho Shikkake katana. It's certainly worlds away from my late Kamakura era Yamato Shikkake.

 

http://www.nihontocr...ikkake_Tokubetsu.htm

 

The sword has another attribution which we can discuss after I receive the blade and have had a chance to see it in person. 

 

This was an interesting comparo, The top kissaki is from a signed Norishige wakizashi from his early period. And no, the Senjuin wasn't given a Norishige attribution. 

 

 

[Lewis B]

Here is a partial translation of the Tanobe Sayagaki:

 

和州千手院　大磨上無銘而細身小鋒ノ華奢な形態ヲ呈し板目刃寄リニ

流レル肌合ニ地沸厚ク地景入リ刃文ハ直調小互乃目ガ草ニ乱レテ盛ン

ニ沸付キテ輝キ砂流、金筋ガ頻リニ絡ミ随所ニ湯走リガ形成サレ更ニ火

炎帽子トナルナド大和傳ト相州傳ノ折衷的ナ感ノ出来口ヲ示候　古来他

四派ニ見ナヒ程ニ盛ンニ乱レタ者ヲ同派ニ極メル傾向ニアリ其意味カラ

所伝ハ妥当也

刃長貮尺寸四分半　歳甲辰菊月探山識花押

 

"Washu (Yamato) Senjuin: O-suriage-mumei, it has a slender and delicate shape. (Jigane is based on) itame with nagare-hada (running pattern) along the hamon. (It is covered with) thick ji-nie and chikei. The hamon is sugu-cho with tasteful ko-gunome midare and full of shiny nie, sunagashi and kinsuji.  Yubashiri is formed here and there, and even more, boshi is Kaen.

It shows an eclectic feel of both the Yamato-den and Soshu-den.

There has long been a tendency to attribute Senjuin to styles with midare-ba with rich hataraki not seen in the other four schools of Yamato-den, so the identification of this sword as Senjuin is appropriate.

Edge length 2 shaku sun 4 bu han (a half) Date Kinoe Tatsu (2024) Kiku zuki (September ) Tanzan wrote kao. "

 

[Lewis B]

Oshigata for the Senjuin. Is the shape of the boshi unusual? Almost like a hybrid Ichimai boshi with hakikake feathering towards the tip. 

[Lewis B]

I finally have the sword in my possession and this is a good example of a blade that has to be appreciated in hand. The photos don't really show the hataraki and nie too well and the forging is so fine a macro lens is going to be needed to do it justice. I will try my best when the lighting is good.

Photos don't give an impression of dimensions so here are the specs

 

Nagasa:     62.3cm

Sori:   1.3cm

Motohaba: 2.57cm

Sakihaba:   1.61cm

Kasane at the mune:   0.57cm

Kasane at the shinogi: 0.72cm

Sakikasane: 0.46cm

Kissaki: 2.7cm

 

Tanobe sensei politely called it "a slender and delicate shape". At 447g it feels very functional for wielding one handed. 

 

What can be inferred from these measurements? Was a slim, lightweight blade with a nagasa close to the minimal length for a katana popular in certain eras (originally close to 74cm per the dealer)? This sugata seemed more common in the Heian/Kamakura periods rather than the Nanbokucho. 

 

I found an oshigata for a beautiful Juyo Go Yoshihiro. I believe this was sold by Darcy. The features that I immediately noticed were the ichimai boshi with hakikake and the prematurely ending bo-hi at the kissaki (similar feature on my blade). The hataraki is on a whole different level on this blade, and really illustrates that even though his career was short-lived, his style evolved noticeably, adopting more Soshu style character. 

 

 

 

[Lewis B]

Experimenting with my new macro lens and cheap IKEA LED lighting this evening and got some nice images of the Jie formations on the Senjuin. I had to downsize the images to get them to upload onto NMB, but at native resolution they look great. Amazing how effective a $5 LED light can be. I have added the high rez versions of the images here, and a few others, to my Google Drive gallery.

https://drive.google...j-eZWYtgSKfamVWFUlsO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lewis B]

Experimenting with different light sources I think I hit the sweet spot. High intensity halogen bulb really brings out the hamon and hataraki.

 

 

 

High Rez images 

https://drive.google...BsZ2JdRviaaxy5A6Pma3

[Lewis B]

Low rez Iphone image in ambient lighting + LED 

[Lewis B]

Amazing what you can stumble on while browsing. I found images of the koshirae for my Shikkake being made at the Osafune Sword Museum Atelier 18 months ago.

 

https://www.facebook...pcb.5810403085743944

 

That was before the sayagaki and here is the dealer visiting Tanobe sensei at his house ~6 months later when the Sayagaki was written.

 

https://www.facebook...pcb.6393369147447332

[Lewis B]

I presented the Senjuin katana at the Bring and Tell session at this weekends NBTHK-EB meeting. It was well received and the overwhelming consensus was that if I wanted to submit for Juyo, to avoid risk of further degradation that might be inflicted by another polish and send it as is. The 'delicate' sugata suggest the blade was late 13th Century early 14th Century at the latest, putting it in the late Kamakura era. While Go Yoshihiro (its historical attribution) is unlikely, I feel it has enough features in common with the Echizen Yoshihiro group (based on a Juyo SY katana) that it could come back as a named blade, most likely Senjuin Yoshihiro, if accepted for Shinsa. 

 

Someone also suggested the typical Senjuin jihada is more roughly forged and that would fit with the weak Senjuin attribution mentioned here. 
 

According to Kazuo Tokuno a group of smiths relocated from Yamato to Hokuriku on the Northern Coast and incorporated elements of Soshu style swordmaking to their traditional Yamatoden origins. There was a Senjuin Yoshihiro in the late 13th Century and a signed/dated piece from 1343. The earlier Senjuin Yoshihiro is said to have been born around 1280 and was Go's father, and that the later dated blade could be by the same Smith. The postulated dates fit this hypothesis. Another hypothesis by Honami Kozon is that Go was not a Soshu smith at all but one of the Senjuin Yoshihiro group who adopted some of the Soshu style.

 

I added a more high rez images to my Google Drive and I hope these give a good impression. The detail in the blade is highlighted by the macro lens and use of appropriate lighting. I found a cheap Ikea LED, with integrated lens to disperse the light, to be really good for these images and Nihonto in general. Offset high intensity halogen was my preferred light for visualising the hataraki. Enjoy. 

 

https://drive.google...j-eZWYtgSKfamVWFUlsO

[atm]

Nice job on the high resolution photos, @Lewis B. They show a lot of detail.