The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-10-15
JAPANESE SWORDS.
Some SpeculatiOns Concerning The
Swordmaker's Art.

oNVAbihoASa AIT
Examples Of the ancient sword OF tac
samrai may be seen in the Japanese
collection Of the Chicago art institute
There is said to be in all the world no
more superb metal work than that dis
played in the ehlscling OF the guard and
The adiunets OF the hilt, and no higher
degree Of technical skill than that used
IN combining the various metals 20 gain
the desired effect OF decoration. For
the curves, sinuosites and scallopngs
shown in the tempering line, which
were employed together in accordance
with the caprice OF the smith and which
had nothing 10 do with the blade proper
there are alone twenty-five different
expressions.
The forging. by means Of which a
fabric of innumerahle fine threads was
united into an even tissue alike in all
It's parts, was az fine an art as might
well be conceived. And the welding,
which consisted in nammering together
several strips OF steel TO form a rec.
tangular ingot six inches in length and
two and half inches in thickness, was
the o ccupation Of months.
One reads Of the life OF the ancient
artisan. working with a. religious deyo.
ton to his art, fashioning the minute
parts of the whole with a tender and
loving hand. in the same conseccrated
spirit with which poet might shape
his verses or an artist paint his pie.
lures One reads Of the position ne held
In the social scheme Of old Japan, re.
spected, admired, doubtless deemed a
social equal Of those who bad secured
the highest rank in literature and the
arts-one reads and reviews te life
and position and handieraft OF these
smiths Of old and instinetively one com
parcs IL with those Of the factory work
or in the industrial system of the japan
of the new era.
Without knowing or having seen this
ancient artisan. one falls TO wondering
whether the factory hands that one
sees going and coming from the great
mills Of Osaka and Toxic can possibly
have the JOY in life and labor, the pride
and satisfaction in their work, that was
given TO the makers OF the swords of
the samurai, working in the sanctuary
ct his smithy, beside a forge which was
sacred TO him and which could dream no
more than himself Of the steam mon
s1ers that were To take the place of
human ingenuity, human skill and hui
man artistry.
The age Of handicraft in Japan has
passed. or is, according 10 all authority,
swiftly passing; the time of making
things for the mere joy and love Of
creation is rapidly giving way before
the sorded usurpation of the industrial
ira, the chief consideration OF which /
must be quantity and the sole aim OF
which is profit. The factory worker
commands not his produce, but is com
handed by iron demons breathing
steam.
Work and worker unlike the smith |
and his sword, are completely disse-
rcred. The worker has no voice in the /
shaping of what the spindle he watches
pr the Jig he turns has a far greater /
control over than las he himself. Hav /
ing no voice in his work he can have no I
pride in its product and having no |
pride in it, being only slave 10 it and I
never the master of il, he can derive
20 honor from that into which his
strength, but never his personality nor I
is heart. has gone in the making
One recalls to mind a similar sltua
ion in England when the handierafts
we're crushed out by the machine, when
he factory system made for our time
is weighty problems Of poverty, with
Is accompanying issues Of the tene
merit and the Stun, and one wonders
I it is not after AL pitiful that all ma
ions must 90 through the cataclysm Of
he individual ezra and the horrible pen
lilies it mas everywhere exacted
The era of the smith has gone-gone
,ast recall--taking with it much that
vas beautiful, poetic, inspiring. The
more sober, dun ard coluorless age Of
he present. What will it give them by
,ay of compensation for admirable, en-
bling things it has taken away?-Chi
ago News.