NAOTANE AND HIS MEI AND KAO

[Ed]

Eric,

Great fun, normally I don't have time to participate here. However your timing was perfect as I am currently stuck at home nursing an injury.

 

I knew that one looked wrong as stated in my post, yet I dismissed it due to it's smaller size. Though no one else stated a problem seeing it, but I could not see it that well enough to scrutinize it. Perhaps it's my monitor, surely not my eyes.

 

Again, thanks for giving me something to do.

[reinhard]

Hello Eric,

 

Thank you very much for this most entertaining and educative riddle. I have a question though. According to Tanobe-sensei the signatures D left and both from table E are displaying one or several features of Kajihei's false mei of NAOTANE (his teacher). Are these blades safely attributed to NAOTANE?

 

best regards

 

reinhard

[Eric H]

Thanks Eric, but now you owe us an explanation why is it the gimei? :D :D

Hi Jean,

Just because Naotane is the exception that proves the rule, the identification of the gimei in these examples turned out to be very difficult. The thorough comparison of the kanji's respectively the strokes is here not very helpful. Another approach is the comparison of the kao's, though they also have changed from time to time. But in this way John was successful. Careful study of the kao's (magnified) in the "Bunsei-pics" reveals a kao which someways is not in accordance with the other three. Mainly the strokes above the "bow-line" are clearly visible poorly executed (once Jean said "Zorro's" sign), as well as other details in this kao. Ed noticed that fact, I cite "The kao in table "B" center photo right off gave me a bad gut feeling, but...", yes he was on the right track.

 

Ed, I wish you best recovery

 

Toryu, there is no hint in the description of the gimei blade that points directly to "Kajihei".

Reinhard, D left has Aoi-Art estimation paper, a Tanto with Koshirae, 1,950,000 Yen - Table E, both have Tokubetsu Hozon papers.

 

Eric

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Table E, both have Tokubetsu Hozon papers.

 

 

I would like to see from where they come.