Gerry Posted January 4 Report Posted January 4 I've been looking around for while to see if I could get a papered katana with an early nengo inscription on the nakago, and the earliest ones I have seen are from the mid-1400s. Has anyone seen nengo from an earlier date, like in the 1300s? Quote
Jussi Ekholm Posted January 4 Report Posted January 4 Oldest one in existence is tachi by Naminohira Yukimasa dated 1159. The second oldest is tachi by Bungo Yukihira that is dated 1205. 6 Quote
Gerry Posted January 4 Author Report Posted January 4 Wow, that's much older than I had imagined, but these 2 examples are probably not something that a run of the mill collector like me would be able to afford, ha ha. Quote
Jussi Ekholm Posted January 4 Report Posted January 4 For something possible for normal collectors I would recommend looking into Bizen and the "unpopular" schools/smiths. I think these are pretty much the only option to get a fairly cheap dated tachi from 1300's. For tachi I would recommend 3M yen budget and for short blades 1,5M. I think this might be the only affordable blade dated in 1300's that is currently available. Morimoto dated 1362-1368 (as actual year is unreadable). Asking price is now 900,000 yen. What is to be noted that this is the 5th dealer that has had this blade for sale in fairly short time. It first popped at 380k and I wanted it, still wanted it at 550k... Now currently at 900k it is not that appealing to me anymore. https://www.e-sword....isashi/2410-2021.htm Here are few other short swords. Just note that historical prices on sales ads would be much higher today. https://www.aoijapan...safune-ju-morishige/ https://www.kandatou...tou/wakizashi16.html https://www.aoijapan...ai-5-nen-nigatsu-hi/ Then some long ones. I know I really wanted this one. I was actually saving money for it when it was with different dealer. Then it appeared to Aoi at lower price later on. https://web.archive....-hidemotsumasamitsu/ This one was also one I considered as plausible buy when it was with another dealer. Then it vanished and Meirin had it for much higher price https://web.archive....swords2/KT222174.htm Yoshii is a school to keep an eye open for, not highly appreciated https://www.samurais....jp/sword/08119.html 5 1 Quote
Gerry Posted January 6 Author Report Posted January 6 Hi Jussi, Thanks for sharing these links to swords with early nengo inscriptions, so there's still hope if I keep my eyes peeled at the usual suspect of Japanese dealer sites. Quote
Peter Bleed Posted January 6 Report Posted January 6 This has been a very interesting discussion. Thnak you Gerry and Jussi. It also makes me glad to be a collector of mere Shinto! Peter 1 Quote
Jussi Ekholm Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 Should check my own files before posting stuff For years I have just memorized that the Bungo Yukihira 1205 blade is the 2nd oldest dated sword. However it seems that there is a 1201 dated Ko-Bizen tachi, that is fairly recent Jūyō. I have the Tōken Bijutsu magazine where this item is featured but not yet the Jūyō book. Still for us mere mortals late Nanbokuchō Bizen is in my opinion the way to look into onwing an old dated sword. Also if you happen to have a connection/status/relationship with a Japanese dealer most likely you could ask them to look one for you and they would be able to find one fairly quickly through their dealer network. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.