Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1905-04-07
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TWO ANCIENT SWORDS
JAP BLADES 500 YEARS OLD
OWNED BY PILaRInE.
Philadelphia Minister Brings Weap-
Ons of Exquisite Make from the
orient-History of Art Among
Insular People.

Philadelphia. - collection OF
swords. some OF which are more than
five centuries old. has recently been
brought To this city by Rev Henry NJ.
Landis. They were selected and pur-
chased by him during his 10 years
residence In Toxic. In that time he
became quite student OF the history
OF japanese swordmaking.
For more than 1000 years the
art of swordmaking." he said, has
been held in the highest national es-
TEEN among the people who are now
warning with Russia AS We study
and cherish the history OK English let
ters. so do the Japanese value the his
tory and worth OF their sword makers.
The fame of Amakuni l., or Masamune
among the people there equals that of
Shakespeare among ourselves. So it
might also be said that Kunisada.
Muramasa and Kunimitsu correspond
in Japanese Importance to Milton,
TennysOn and Wordsworth.
some noted professors can pick out
any one of Il thousand weapons and
tell almost at IA glance who made IL
and in what generation. They main
tain that each blade has different
style. quality and expression. which
mark IL AS an individual"
Not only among men was the art OF
defense ana all pertaining 10 40 prac-
ticed and honorcd. In the history OF
Japan the first recorded war with n
foreign country took place i'm the timo
of the famous Empress Jingokogo.
who ruled the islands from 1913 to
2G2 A. ID. She herself commanding
the army. crossed the channel and
conquered the peninsula OF Korea. at
that time called Sankan. Tomoye-
GOzen was another great woman gem
eral. who reigned during the Illus
trious war generation of the thirteenth
century.
In modern days. after Japan had
opened communication with EurOp"
and America. "A fierce civil war took
place between the conservative and
the progressive parties. When the men
of the conservatives had been de
fcatcd. their wives and daughters took
up their weapons and tried To rcpcl
the attacks OF the invading progress
sivos At present the laws do not al
low women to take any part I'm actual
warfare.
J here are several fine collections of
Japanese side arms In this country, to
one of which the swords gathered by
Mir landis will probably 40. Some
OF these famous weapons are - feet
funE some small enough to b. hidden
in the footwlde satin folds of "a
/ Samurai ladys girdle. Some blades
are short and straight. soma broad
and curved like sabors and others are
made after the modern fashions.
The celebrated blades of Dana.--cus
and Toledo were no more keen than
are these tempered edges. To cut "a
broad nail cleanly Ia two without
nicking it's own surface was the test
OF "A good sword in the days OF old
! Japan In Mr. Lands collection ia
one weapon that was welded Ina tho
year Columbus discovered America.
! Others even older have the dates of
1924. 1876 and 1862 A. ID. They are in
"A state of perfect preservation. What
IS known as the wavy welding. now 81
lost art. il perfectly shown. Most
of the swords are sheathed i'm scab-
bards OF wood. carved and lacquered
and wonderfully inlaid.
As has been said, Masamune was
one OF the Oldest. best and most IA
nous swordmakers. Few OF his weap-
ons are now known to be In existence
! One is in the imperial treasury OF
Japan. OF Amal1unis blades. none are
known TO be In existence at present
In Mr.. Lands collection is one of
Masamunc. II was made In the Bunwa
period. about 1852. and Is a beautiful
example OF the wavy welding art.