photo kantei answer

[Darcy]

The quality of the answers given on the board were excellent, also observations were generally very correct. I am glad to see beginners trying... that is really important, if you don't go through the exercise and especially commit your answers and put your neck on the line, it is hard to grow. I find that throwing your hat into the ring like this helps cement down the experience and enhance the learning.

 

I like to state the answer in period, school, smith order because this is the process of narrowing it down. Beginners can always be happy with getting period, and then as their skill progresses to get closer to the full answer.

 

Also when handling five swords, if you can walk out being partially right on a few just by getting period, it gives you more confidence.

 

Photo kantei is hard, but at least when the photo quality is this good it is helpful (/pats self on back). It is useful for us as well to practice this because of seeing swords for sale online and on ebay, we are working with a different need in evaluation skillsets than people who came generations before us.

 

OK, to the sword.

 

From the sugata, we are looking at a sword with a robust shape with an even curve centered slightly lower than halfway down. So the guess would be towards a torii-zori o-suriage piece. The shape rules out Muromachi in general as we'd be expecting more curve towards the kissaki. The longer Nambokucho period blades tend to be straighter in the monouchi. The typical o-kissaki is also not there, the kissaki is not even longish, making it chu-kissaki.

 

So it is looking like a robust middle to late period Kamakura blade from sugata.

 

I cut out the nakago, but displayed a bit under the habaki to show that it was clear that the futasuji-hi continue through the nakago. This is a hint that the nakago is probably suriage. Not always, but when you see the hi ending above the hamachi then you know that the piece is either ubu or the hi are added after. So this is kind of just an odds thing that it is probably suriage.

 

The thick chikei and vibrant nie everywhere direct one straight to Soshu. The intense amount of activities would point to a top level school and smith... muromachi period being far inferior to kamakura, this also would lead one away from any muromachi period judgment.

 

Ichimai boshi was noted by several people. When seeing ichimai and all kinds of nie activities in a middle to late Kamakura period piece, one should land squarely on Soshu den.

 

Ichimai boshi is also a strong enough kantei point to then go straight to Go Yoshihiro. This is what he is always written up as having made famous... the reality of it though is that the majority of his works do not have ichimai on them. It is only possible to come to the last fact there by looking at his known and identified works. The famous handful exhibit ichimai where most of the less famous pieces do not.

 

Still if one stops there and says Go Yoshihiro given everything I see, I would give that an atari.

 

The key though to identifying the smith in question would be to look at the hada. It is large patterned, energetic and intertwines with the hamon in such a way that it is not exactly clear where the hamon ends and the activities of the ji begin. This is a trademark of one and only one smith, Norishige. Ichimai for him is interesting then, it may be that this is something that the Etchu smiths were doing, at the very least it reinforces the relationship between Norishige and Go Yoshihiro.

 

The futasuji-bi are also interesting, as they are more something to be seen on the work of Sadamune and/or Masamune. Overall the activities in the ji are on the quiet side of Norishige and look a bit more like Masamune. It looks overall like a work of Norishige made to challenge his peers, but Go or Masamune would also be acceptable answers for kantei.

 

Shizu, and Sa had the skill to approach this level with their absolute best work, but that would be a dozen answer I guess, close and on the right track and possibly an up close study would help the quality judgment.

 

The most important thing is trying to nail down the overall quality of the work, as that is a major guide towards getting to the right place. In the case of a work like this, it is not possible for any smith living since the Kamakura period to attempt to create something of this quality. So right away Muromachi and on can be ruled out.

 

This work is ranked Tokubetsu Juyo Token and has been considered the finest Soshu sword in North America. It is noted as a masterpiece by Norishige, and will probably be the finest sword made available for sale this year, anywhere in the world .

[sencho]

Thanks Darcy... please put out more like this.... I read more from my books than I had done in months!!! I appreciate you efforts, mate.

 

It is noted as a masterpiece by Norishige, and will probably be the finest sword made available for sale this year, anywhere in the world .

 

I'd better hurry up and sell some yachts then... :lol:

[Mark]

Darcy

 

thanks, i enjoyed the oportunity to participate

 

Mark Jones

[Brian]

Darcy,

 

Thanks...that was a great and informative exercise. I was still paging through my books trying to come to a conclusion, but I think it is safe to say I would have been no-where near

But I learned a lot. That is an amazing sword, and of a caliber we seldom see come up for sale. Someone is going to be a very happy buyer.

If there is a next time (I hope these will happen more often) then I suggest we leave them up for a week so that we can relax on the weekend and spend some quality time with the books in hand. That also gives the weekly visitors a chance to have a go.

 

Y'know..with all these amazing swords you come up with for kantei..one of these days you are gonna put up a late Koto Mino shiiremono..and confuse the heck out of all of us :D

 

Regards,

Brian

[Leroy]

Darcy,

 

Thanks for the kentai. I saw it a bit to late to participate, but like Brian, I would not have been close. Great photo's (As always) and great learning experience. You're efforts are truly appreciated.

 

Anyway, I have a suggestion: Brian, can you archive these kentai's for future newbies, as well as us who are still trying to learn? I would like a quick link so I can comeback to this in the future.

 

Thanks again,

Leroy