Take a journey thru history with antique Japanese arms and armor...
...and admire the craftsmanship involved in their creation, which combines both aesthetic beauty and functional perfection.
The Collection of S.R. Hochberger
Orlando, FL - I started collecting antique Japanese arms in April 2023. My collection now has 76 unique pieces of nihonto in it, as well as many tsuba, menuki, kogatana etc. I also collect armor and have two kabuto, ~300 years old each, one of which is signed by Saotome Ienaga.
This is art in it's realest form - reflecting a rich cultural history and the dedication of skilled swordsmiths to achieve a balance between cutting power and durability, resulting in unique visual elements like the "hamon" pattern on the blade and intricate decorative fittings on the hilt.
Timeless Antiquities
My collection includes antique nihonto and armor from 150 to 770 years old, including thirteen swords that have received Juyo ranking from the NBTHK:
Saemon-no-jō Nobukuni tanto
Awataguchi Tadatsuna naginata
Ko-Aoe Tsuneyoshi tachi
Yamato Shikake Norinaga tachi
Etchu Tametsugu katana
Katayama Ichimonji Norifusa wakizashi
Bizen Osafune Motoshige katana
Rai Tomokuni ko-wakizashi
Sa Sadayoshi katana
Kyo Nobukuni katana
Kencho katana
Kencho wakizashi
Yamato Shikake Norinaga wakizashi
One pending Juyo shinsa:
Sekishu Sadatsuna katana
Shinsa
Evaluating and attributing nihonto...
Several of my blades and koshirae went thru Shinsa by NTHK in June 2024 at the Orlando Sword Show. Shinsa is the process for evaluating and certifying the origins of a Japanese sword. 3 of 4 passed, with attributions to Shimada, Heianjo and Kyo-kinko (koshirae).
Two of the aspects looked at during shinsa are the hada (fold patterns) and hamon (hardening effect) - see examples from the Saemon-no-Jō Nobukuni below...
Artwork....
This is the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, FL.
Above, a falcon ukiyoe by Hiroshige, 1853. Falconry was a favorite pastime of samurai.
Below, a wood block print from 1847 by Kuniyoshi: True Tales of Loyal Retainers, Senzaki Yagorō Noriyasu of the Akō Rōnin (also known as the 47 Ronin).
