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Posted

All,

I have already reached out to Chris on this, so I am doubtful of any additional information. I am looking for information on the showa smith Masamitsu (listed in Hawley's as MAS 1749). Below is a photo of the mei. Thanks to Ed of yakiba.com for this wonderful piece!

 

post-1404-14196791484415_thumb.jpg

Posted

Photos can be found here: http://yakiba.com/Kat_Masamitsu.htm

 

The photos don't do the blade justice. In the right light the activity in the hamon just explodes and you can't really see it in the photos, but the blade has muneyaki down the whole blade, and a nice koto sorii. It is really nice! He's not a big name smith or very well known, but if it's true that 'every dog has his day', it was definitely the day he made this. Thanks again to Ed for this lovely blade.

Posted

The only information outside of Hawley's is in Fuller and Gregory's, "Swordsmiths of Japan, 1926-1945", stating that he was a Teacher at the national technical school. One other request, can someone who has the ability to type kanji please respond with the masa character used in his mei, as I cannot find it? It may help me search the Japanese sites. Thank you so very much!

Posted

Thanks Todd. I thought it looked interesting from the photos, so I took a shot. I was very surprised when I used a bit of uchiko to clean the blade and put it under the light. Very pleasantly surprised!

Posted

Wrong "Masa" unfortunately. He uses the more traditional "Masa" that

looks like an "E"

 

Edit: keep in mind I can only read most names. Does this say that the smith worked in Yamaguchi?

Posted

Hi,

Even if this swordsmith name is read as Masamitsu, it is not a mistake.

Also can read as "Kiyomitsu" or "Seiko".

 

This smith's real name is Okafuji(surname) Masaru.

Posted

Joe et al-

The Toko Zenshu says; Kiyomitsu Yamaguchi (Ken) Kiyomitsu Okazaki Masaru Saku [Mei] Okafuji Masaru [given name] (recipient of the) Kokkô-in Kai-in Meiyo Sôshô award.

Posted

Wow! So this smith's name is actually "Kiyomitsu" rather than "Masamitsu". Very interesting! Hard to believe though that something in Hawley's is incorrect (tongue firmly in cheek).

 

Edit: I did a search on the award listed and couldn't find anything. Can you please let me know what that award was for? Thanks again, I do sincerely appreciate the help!

Posted
Wow! So this smith's name is actually "Kiyomitsu" rather than "Masamitsu". Very interesting! Hard to believe though that something in Hawley's is incorrect (tongue firmly in cheek).

 

Edit: I did a search on the award listed and couldn't find anything. Can you please let me know what that award was for? Thanks again, I do sincerely appreciate the help!

 

Kanji have several correct readings and in this case it can be read Masamitsu, Kiyomitsu, etc. Only the smith or those that knew him can say with certainty which reading is preferred....

 

Also, I don't believe that "meiyo sosho" was an award, but a designation....

Posted

Chris et al -

Could be my dictionary but the listing says Kokkô-in Kai-in Meiyo Sôshô Nyûsen (入選) or "awarded in a competition" - of course I could not find any info on the group Kokkô-in Kai or who might be giving this award...

-t

Posted

Meiyo Sosho roughly means "honorable master", or maybe "distinguished teacher"....This was an appellation awarded to smiths by the Kokko'in Kai, sometimes called the "National Technical School". I believe it was a craft organization, or guild, that awarded this title to members. "Nyusen" means "choosen", usually in competition, but in this case, I do not believe there was any actual swordmaking competition, just the awarding of this title to skilled smiths. Perhaps one of our Japanese members can clarify/elaborate.....

Posted

Chris,

As always, thank you. Perhaps given that Fuller and Gregory states Masa/Kiyo Mitsu as a teacher at the national technical college, your hypothesis is correct about "distinguished teacher". I'll be interested for others input. Thanks again all!

Posted
Chris,

As always, thank you. Perhaps given that Fuller and Gregory states Masa/Kiyo Mitsu as a teacher at the national technical college, your hypothesis is correct about "distinguished teacher". I'll be interested for others input. Thanks again all!

 

 

Undoubtedly their statement is based on the information in the Tosho Zenshu which we are now discussing....

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Another question on this smith. Their is a Rikugun Jumei Tosho smith listed on Dr. Stein's site (http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/gendai2.htm) signing Izumo (no) Kuni Kiyomitsu. Izumo is close to Yamaguchi, any chance this smith moved from one to the other and changed his signature?

 

Does anyone have any oshigato of Izumo (no) Kuni Kiyomitsu?

 

Thanks again.

Posted
any chance this smith moved from one to the other and changed his signature?

 

A better chance than the Vikings have this weekend against the Packers....

 

There were several prolific groups of smiths in Izumo with a nearby source for tamahagane so it would be a reasonable place to work...The fact that he used his personal name for his work might mean he did not have a formal teacher....

Posted

Chris,

That hurts - a lot. The Vikings are a soar subject for me these days. You were almost on my Christmas card list because of all of your help, but now that is certainly in jeopardy. ;)

 

If we could find an oshigata of the Izumo smith, that would put the question to bed. I think it's unlikely that my Yamaguchi Masa/Kiyomitsu is the same smith anyhow, but worth a shot. There is a smith listed in the GTM as Kiyomitsu, but as I am not well versed in reading Japanese yet, I am not sure it is the Izumo Kiyomitsu. If so, then the two are definitely not the same.

Posted

I'm a Favre fan, for better or worse, but the wheels have really come off up there in Chilliville.....Wish they could have done much better so Favre could have finished his career with some dignity...

 

Anyway, send me the scan from the GTM and I will have a look. I have the book but like nearly all my sword library, it is still in storage...

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

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