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© Copyright
Robert Cole 2015 - No copying or distributing
APPRAISAL OF BLADES |
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© Copyright
Robert Cole 2015 - No copying or distributing
APPRAISAL OF BLADES |
THE APPRAISAL PATH - (or see Appraisal Series,
beginning with KOTO pdf)
The method of defining origin is old and quite appropriate.
ERA:
The first appraisal step is to reduce the splay of
historical possibilities by placing era - KOTO, SHINTO,
SHIN-SHINTO. (see the following RULES OF THUMB for ERA, page
##.)
TIME:
Once the limits of era have been established, the actual
time period is considered. Placing time is accomplished with
sword shape (explained in APPRAISAL: KOTO - Placing Time
Period page ##)
PROVINCE:
When time has been confined to a specific historic and
social environment, the appraisal-points will reveal the
province (see THE FIVE SCHOOLS under APPRAISAL: KOTO - Placing
School and Smith, page ##)
SCHOOL:
Each school in a province is differentiated by style
(covered in text)
SMITH:
There were a very limited number of individuals working in a
school at a given time. At this fifth step in the appraisal
process, a sword can scream its author
////ART//////Hand with Three Cards//// ///WORK////KOTO SHINTO SHIN-SHINTO//// There were three eras of sword history. //Card// KOTO "Old Swords" - from about 800 to 1600 //ART// //Card// SHINTO "New Swords" - 1600 to 1781 //ART// //Card// SHIN-SHINTO "New-New Swords" - 1781 to 1868//ART// An experienced appraiser knows, at a glance, the associated historical era because each sword clearly exhibits the style characteristics of the era in which it was made. Regardless of experience, appraisal steps are the same for any sword. One must first place historical era.
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//////////////////////////////////// ///////ARTWORK __________________________________ ///////////// / The Five | KOTO Schools | (Before 1600) | _______________________ ////////////// | / | | | | | | | \ This Way To KOTO \ ____________________ /////////////// The Seven SIGN This Way SHINTO Provinces POST To SHINTO (After 1600) ____________________ /////////////// This Way / To SHIN-SHINTO | / | | | | | | | \____________________ /////////////// | SUISHINSHI | SHIN-SHINTO and The Later- | Sword Stylists \_______________________________ (After 1781) /////////////// |
The following are rules of thumb for each era. A more detailed treatment is carried forth in the text. One new to appraisal should study the chapters on NAKAGO, SIGNATURES, JUDGING QUALITY, and especially the introduction and historical notes for each era in the APPRAISAL OF BLADES section, KOTO, SHINTO and SHIN-SHINTO.
| KOTO - | Blade: | Soft steel. Graceful curved styles |
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NAKAGO: | Dark color - soft texture |
Any sword will usually have nearly original thickness where
the NAKAGO meets the blade. By running the thumb and
forefinger along this area (pinching the blade), one is able
to feel a difference in thickness. This determines the number
of polishes sustained.
//////ARTWORK Show pinching////// |
KOTO that have not received many polishes might be perfectly "healthy", without WARE, but the steel, in any case, will differ from SHINTO or SHIN-SHINTO because it was hand made from single-source, privately smelted iron. Among its several unique qualities, KOTO steel is comparatively soft. One comes to know, very quickly, the differences between old steels and new.
A KOTO may have more and finer JI-NIE than SHINTO. The earlier KOTO school founders had greater complexity and subtlety of color.
Age increases the likelihood of change. KOTO has more examples of SURIAGE NAKAGO and more NAKAGO with several MEKUGI-ANA. NAKAGO surface texture can be soft and smooth with rounded lines and edges. The color is dark. Signatures are often not highly stylized and usually made with fewer characters. Any part of an original tang will reveal the original length. Experience teaches one to accurately judge the original shape of nearly any piece even thoughit may have been completely altered. In original state, KOTO are generally longer than SHINTO. See APPRAISAL OF BLADES - KOTO, pages ## and ##
| SHINTO - | Blade: | Hard steel. Stout styles, fuller KISSAKI, and less curvature. Often thick and heavy with less JI-NIE when compared with KOTO. Shallow SORI blades may show gentle taper. |
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NAKAGO: | Medium to dark color. Firm smooth texture. Signatures became stylized trademarks. Titles became commonplace. Gold inlay cutting tests will almost always have an early to mid-SHINTO date. |
After the very early KOTO style-copying, a certain width in the MONOUCHI section can be seen (mid-SHINTO). Although some pieces might seem somewhat clumsy as compared with KOTO, "KAM-BUN" style displays its own very sophisticated elegance. See SHINTO Schools
SHINTO is not comparable with KOTO.
SHINTO steel was created from manufactured, traded and even imported, raw material. It is generally hard. A SHINTO can be a short, hard sword that may feel heavy. MASA likely in the SHINOGI.
SHINTO were made in the TOKUGAWA period, and some have "fancy" temperlines. Many SHINTO have YAKIDASHI (SUGU near the MACHI).
A SHINTO is newer than KOTO and, with fewer polishes, maybe less "tired." SHINTO may be thicker and stronger with fewer examples of SURIAGE NAKAGO. NAKAGO texture can be smooth and dark but without the soft texture associated to KOTO. See NAKAGO
Signatures became highly stylized, with titles a normality. The occasionally found cutting test may be affixed in gold. See APPRAISAL OF BLADES - SHINTO, page ## - SHINTO HEN
| SHIN-SHINTO - | Blade: | Hard steel or a mix. Often long. A mix of style variations. Shallow SORI blades may have even width. |
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NAKAGO: | Medium to medium dark color. Hard or firm texture. Signatures were often highly stylized trademarks and occasionally have CAO and forging marks. Never SHOWA stamp. |
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