A tale of 2 kissaki

[Lewis B]

For those more familiar with kissaki styles how would you compare these 2 kissaki? Top is blade #1 showing omote side. 2nd is blade #2 from omote and 3rd image is the ura side for blade #2. My untrained eye sees a lot of similarity especially the general direction of flow of the nie in the boshi. 

 

It's said the boshi is where the smith really shows his stuff, separating the good from the great. It's often used for attribution as many smiths favour a particular style relative to the Gokuden. 

 

Am I right to think the style of these boshi are close enough to suggest they could be from the same school and/or smith. To make it interesting any ideas regarding the attribution for these 2 swords? 

 

 

[Rivkin]

Well, these look like Soshu boshi. They are close enough to Yamato hakkikake but are much more complex.

The images unfortunately are not fantastic and low resolution. Otherwise one could actually make some conclusions about the blades. The image quality is just not there.

If one still has to guess, I would put the first blade above the second. I don't see large nie crystals in the second case, everything more or less the same in size. Generally very fine lines that are drawn as if by hand is a sign of later work.

First one can be lower grade Norishige that has been poorly photographed. Second I would go into Gassan Sadakatsu territory.

[Lewis B]

  On 8/28/2024 at 6:31 PM, Rivkin said:

Well, these look like Soshu boshi. They are close enough to Yamato hakkikake but are much more complex.

The images unfortunately are not fantastic and low resolution. Otherwise one could actually make some conclusions about the blades. The image quality is just not there.

If one still has to guess, I would put the first blade above the second. I don't see large nie crystals in the second case, everything more or less the same in size. Generally very fine lines that are drawn as if by hand is a sign of later work.

First one can be lower grade Norishige that has been poorly photographed. Second I would go into Gassan Sadakatsu territory.

Expand  

Sent you a PM

[Rivkin]

  On 8/31/2024 at 3:43 PM, Lewis B said:

Sent you a PM

Expand  

Thank you. Yes, Norishige's boshi can be quite distinctive and #1 is more or less a typical one.

Regarding the #2, its funny if not crazy to say this when looking only at boshi, but I had a blade with a very similar one, which was judged as something-Tensho by NBTHK in 2010s, but Tanobe sensei thought it was late Nanbokucho Soshu. After looking at it for a very long time I convinced myself it was actually shinshinto by a follower of Ikkansai Yoshihiro - swordsmith who is seldom mentioned, but I think was prolific in his influence and his interpretation.

In 1960s it was appraised by some people as early Soshu.

[Lewis B]

I'm very curious to whom Tanobe will attribute the blade. There was a sword that achieved Juyo status a couple of years ago with a very similar jitetsu. The Zufu papers even said it would have been attributed amongst the best of the Soshu Gokaden had it not had a sugata that was more characteristic of early Kamakura. This blade has a similar sugata and is my 2nd Nihonto purchase. I will post more details when Tanobe sensei has written the sayagaki. 

[Lewis B]

Good news, Tanobe sensei has agreed to write the sayagaki.