Small Preview on the History of Steel Catalog

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally Posted by Marc

Hola, Antonio.

As you can see, is only a question of finding the right kind of bait


By the way, I have to say that dealing with Mike at Shadow of Leaves has been a dream, also.

Hola Marc,

I see
Actually I lost your contacts. When a computer hard disc goes crazy, or when I moved apartments, that was lost

Anyways, I think that Michael Crampton from Shadow of Leaves is a most honorable gentleman and everyone was well serviced I am sure.

[josh stout]

I totally understand about the very infrequent typos. I am sorry I mentioned it. The date reversal did not detract at all, but it was slightly amusing. The look of the book overall is quite good. As I said, the photos are works of art in their own right, and show some very special pieces. I am most interested in the Chinese section where the catalogue helps on a subject where there is very little information available in English. Someday I wish there could be information on Chinese swords that approaches the information on Japanese swords, but at the moment, the field of Chinese sword scholarship is simply not mature enough.

There is one particular sword that I would love any more information on that you might be able to locate. The Ming dynasty willow leaf sword (#94) with the horse tooth pattern welding and the nickel silver fittings is one of the most beautiful sabers I have ever seen. Is there any information on its provenance? The medial ridge on the blade and the lobed guard are certainly things found on Ming swords, but I was wondering what other information was used to date it. It appears to be a very important piece.
Thanks for your help,
Josh

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally Posted by josh stout

I totally understand about the very infrequent typos. I am sorry I mentioned it. The date reversal did not detract at all, but it was slightly amusing. The look of the book overall is quite good. As I said, the photos are works of art in their own right, and show some very special pieces. I am most interested in the Chinese section where the catalogue helps on a subject where there is very little information available in English. Someday I wish there could be information on Chinese swords that approaches the information on Japanese swords, but at the moment, the field of Chinese sword scholarship is simply not mature enough.

Not a problem It is very difficult to keep a tri-lingual catalog like this free of typos. The eyes get tired on the revision, and as known, we read by words and so if it type worng instead of wrong we will still read it correctly.
There are many books in Chinese about swords, but not translated to English...
As for the bronze pieces, it is amazing to show the ring knife was already in existance in jade and it went all along through Han. Then I have seen a Song piece which is curved, in a Dao shape


It is documented in the stone rubbing below

There is one particular sword that I would love any more information on that you might be able to locate. The Ming dynasty willow leaf sword (#94) with the horse tooth pattern welding and the nickel silver fittings is one of the most beautiful sabers I have ever seen. Is there any information on its provenance? The medial ridge on the blade and the lobed guard are certainly things found on Ming swords, but I was wondering what other information was used to date it. It appears to be a very important piece.
Thanks for your help,
Josh

Ah yes, it is a sanmai, called jiagangin Mandarin. The horse tooth pattern is what the makers did, and it came from the Zhou Zheng Wu's own Museum collection. Being native to LongquanZhoubelongs to a multi-generation of smiths so it isn't surprising that he has all his contributions handed down and in a condition that is reliable because Long quan was the most important sword and celadon center.

Hope this helps.

[Mark]

The interesting thing about this horse-tooth pattern is that even Zhou Zheng Wu, a master smith, has been unable to duplicate it. He said its one of those mysteries of ancient Chinese swordmaking that he has yet to unravel.

[Antonio Cejunior]

Oh boy, I wish I had such a memory Mark
Well, after all it is 5:00 AM.
Thanks

[josh stout]

I asked about that saber because while the willow leaf blade with a medial ridge, and the four lobed guard are Ming characteristics, the sword as a whole looks distinctly 19th century. The round pommel and the style of the decorations are all 19th century. This does not detract in any way from the saber's importance as a historical artifact and a work of art, but I don't want people to be mislead by the dating. It is easier for a 19th century piece to have some earlier characteristics than it is for an earlier piece to have stylistic elements that are hundreds of years later. Is it possible the blade had its fittings replaced?
Josh

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally Posted by josh stout

I asked about that saber because while the willow leaf blade with a medial ridge, and the four lobed guard are Ming characteristics, the sword as a whole looks distinctly 19th century. The round pommel and the style of the decorations are all 19th century. This does not detract in any way from the saber's importance as a historical artifact and a work of art, but I don't want people to be mislead by the dating. It is easier for a 19th century piece to have some earlier characteristics than it is for an earlier piece to have stylistic elements that are hundreds of years later. Is it possible the blade had its fittings replaced?
Josh

Hi Josh,

I believe there is much more out there than whatever typology we know and want to classify and put a sword into. Why would a round pommel and four lobbed would be specific of the Qing Dynasty? Just because someone wrote it is?

I won't ever dare to say I am a specialist on Chinese swords, but I guarantee I have seen many in different places and even if I had studied Chinese swords for 10 years I would never classify as a specialist.
The thing is that one of the characteristics of Chinese swords is their emergence and then back to oblivion and again reemerging into use.



Take this example. I would say you have never seen one such sword. Would it be Ming or Qing? This is surely a tricky one.

There were a couple of swords that were just bare blades, while the one you refer to was mounted and fortunately not restored.

We presented it as bare blades such as this one, number 93



or this one, number 94




Zhou had the good sense of not restoring anything except the handle of this one at my own request, because of the beautiful pommel, number 99:




I would therefore doubt that Zhou would have made any restorations.

Furthermore I am sure that very few people know that ancient jian had a tip polish that originated the yokote?



An ancient jian tip restored to its former glory.

Cheers