IAN quote
"That this is work of the highest quality for its time is not disputed. But I'm going to agree with Rick and say that this is entirely a European creation. I don't think we need to see any more of this sword to reasonably reach that conclusion. The man who signed his name to this sword was a master craftsman, and the sword is testimony to his genius."
IAN, I like your first phrase better:
"a European's synthesis of what an oriental style sword would be" and you must agree once an Oriental sword ( wether Japanese, Chinese or Indochinese) has been the decisional factor and inspiration, basically the muse of this one sword regardless if it is from a visual memory, from a description, from a graphic or artistic resource it ceases to exist as "completely European" but I have a gut feeling that actualy it might actually incorporate real parts from an original Asian sword, I still primarily stick with Japanese heritage IMO and I leave the
dha variant as secondary option.
And against odds, I really do think we need to see all the sword including scabbard, the grip and one short section of the blade we saw so far are far from enough to basis for a final conclusion, more like stirring the spirits. Its far from over...
I would also like to thank everyone of you for the aflux of ideeas, opinions , resources and energy you all well spend in this quest, its a good reminder why I love this Forum so much !
Other things I see: the gems and encrusting has been executed in Transylvania, that I have no doubt, more likely by Thomas Kapustran and am almost certain it is the case with the floral enameling, that is 100% European somehow similar examples can be seen in Ottoman art (again, we are in 1674 Transylvania and Turk Ottoman control weights heavy!)
As far as the guard, that is one of the most un-European things on this sword, the resemblance if not similarity with a tsuba is striking and corect me if I'm wrong, you even have the
riobitsu holes (look on the second image closer) regardless if purpose or simply fashion. Further you see the fittings welded together the collar
(habaki) and spacers
(seppa).
As far as the disconcern for the blade as being original, remember not all, as a matter of fact very
many blades were made of plain non-grain steel named muji, commonly seen in the maru-gitae swords of the New Sword period (1530 to 1868)... Maru gitae is a type of construction with one grade steel used for mass production. Swords of this type ussualy reveal a smooth grainless appearance on their surfaces. Credits:
The Samurai Sword - a handbook by J. M. Yumoto . Chapters: Blade construction / Grain pages 94 & 95
Last night I had a sweet dream that myself I dismantled the jewelry from the grip of the sword and there was a big old Kanji signature on the tang there but that was just my dream... I also had this one dream when I was a child that one day I will come to America
...ahem. ahem ... and last winter I got my Greencard ...