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Relief!!!! All is ok, I have confirmation it is a case of severe technical issues!! @Spartancrest will be back in due course!! My mind is at ease, really been missing Dale!!

Alive and well - but it would certainly be easier being dead! The modern digital age is really trying to eliminate the older generation. Did you know if you don't have a phone you no longer exist? When did it become mandatory to even have a phone? I must have missed that memo. Don't get me started with the internet connections! When companies refuse to accept debit cards [ie. actual on hand money] and only do business with credit cards [ie. not real money] they must like people being in debt? Not to mention they won't take money in advance payment for say a years "service"- after all how could they increase their costs at a whim if they did that! Thank you all for the concern for my welfare - it was a nice touch to get a knock at the door at 11.30pm from the police checking in on me I did notice that in the two months I have been out of contact my three children didn't even notice!

Hello everyone, I miss everyday being able to go on Yuhindo.com to gaze at magnificent blades, it used to be a "Zen" website where one could just linger surrounded by beauty and knowledge. I memory of my friend Darcy, I started a Substack project where I plan to publish articles when time allows, with in-depth with high-quality research, with the help of friends such as Markus, Ted and others. In the long run, it'll form the basis of a book. My plan to focus on swords that "have stories to tell" and delve on often overlooked topics such as provenance and discussions on attributions. The content is aimed at intermediate-level enthusiasts, but with the help of AI tools it should be understandable by everyone, new or experienced, in the hobby. Here is the first article of the series: https://hoshido.substack.com/p/the-falling-leaf?r=bw6e8 I hope you enjoy. Best, Hoshi

I'd like to announce and thank our members who are going to be assisting us with moderating certain sections. I think it will benefit us all to have more eyes on the forum, and these people have graciously offered to assist with this task. I'll still be looking for one or 2 people to assist with the Izakaya, but finding impartial and fair people who won't take a side is understandably difficult. It's also not something I wish on anyone, but we do need one or 2 people there. Jean will continue to moderate over all sections as before, being the main moderator. The following sections will be assisted with moderation by the following members: General Nihonto Related Discussion: @Scogg (Sam) Translation Assistance: @Ray Singer and @Bugyotsuji (Piers) Auctions and Online Sales: @Scogg Nihonto: @Scogg Tosogu: @Curran Katchu: @uwe Military Swords: @Bruce Pennington and @Scogg Tanegashima: @Bugyotsuji Other Japanese Arts: @Bugyotsuji Sword Shows and Community News: @Mark For Sale/WTB: @Scogg Izakaya: TBA Thanks to these members, please grant them respect, thanks and best wishes.

Paul was incredibly generous, and would often invite friends to examine his treasures in hand. He was also generous about loaning pieces for sword study events. With a collection like his, it was a considerable effort to pull out all his amazing pieces to share. I was fortunate to be invited to his home, and to bring a Japanese American engineer friend. On that occasion also present was the late Professor Arnold F, among the kindest and most sophisticated men in this field, who with Paul's permission brought another friend. Paul had prepared for this visit by having all his best pieces laid out, including his impressive matchlock collection. He and his wife hosted us all for dinner. They went to a great deal of effort to create this opportunity for us. Paul spent a lifetime carefully studying nihonto, honestly and generously sharing what he knew and what he found. Hearing Paul describe the process of purchasing the Norishige tanto, with other interested parties trying to convince him it was a gimei piece he was crazy to throw his money at, was by itself a fascinating treat. He trusted his own judgment, while at the same time realizing his judgment was fallible. Also memorable was how Paul would happily admit to being much impressed with some swords that Tanobe Michihiro would dismiss as completely unworthy of a man with Paul's exceptional collection. Paul never lost his enthusiasm for nihonto, or his generous spirit towards others who shared his interest. Paul's loss is a great loss for all who were fortunate to know him, and to our field of interest. He was an amazing and modest man, who patiently built a truly incredible collection. We can only hope that some of his treasures are acquired by people who possess Paul's generous spirit of sharing this art.

This is perhaps the best written treatise for the novice tsuba collector I have found- I have spent the best part of two hours converting it from a patchy PDF to something that can be read without gluing words back together but feel free to see the original https://jssus.org/1973_Bulletin_Museo_Orientale_Beginning_Tsuba_Collecting_Token_Kenkyu_Kai_Kao_Artists_Seals.pdf For something written in 1973 a great deal is still relevant. We are much better informed than was possible at that time and our resources are only a key stroke away from literally a world of knowledge - but what held true then is true now. "Some Thoughts on Beginning the Collection of Tsuba", by K. A. Frenzel Taken from: BULLETIN of the Japanese SWORD SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES - DEC. 1973 I . Introduction This article is directed to the novice collector and student and it assumes that a collector is one who is in the fullest sense of the term as much a student of tsuba as he is one who gathers them together ~ . Collection without an appropriate attitude of scholarship can be little more than accumulation, and true appreciation of tsuba is based much more on an understanding of these fascinating and unique objects than on their mere possession. My own interest in tsuba dates only to the later 1960's and my credentials for writing these comments do not compare, I am sure, with doubtless many others outside of Japan. However, in lieu of other material, or at least readily available material, these comments may be of some interest to beginners, even though these remarks are little more than the accumulated observations of my own collecting experiences and reflections. Why would a person start collecting tsuba? There is probably little doubt that most collections are started because of the associations that bind sword and tsuba together. This could range from intrigue with the functional role of the tsuba, to the more romantic aura conferred upon the tsuba by the sword as a major weapon and cultural symbol. A collection started for these reasons usually comes about simply because purchased swords are not infrequently accompanied by their own (imperfectly fitting?) tsuba. The collection is then just derived from the possession of swords. It more meaningfully becomes a tsuba collection when the owner begins to think of them as separate from his swords or when he starts to acquire them as separate objects. For some owners of tsuba the disassociation of tsuba from sword never occurs, and this article is not primarily directed to them. When a person either through derivation from the sword or directly, is captivated by the intrinsic beauty and feeling associated with tsuba, then the necessary condition is present for a tsuba collection. If tsuba are seen as no more than the indispensable fitting required by certain sword mounts, than it is hard for me to think of their owner as a tsuba collectors as such. Surely the joys of tsuba are to be found in the objects themselves, and it is primarily from this point of view that this article is written. While it sometimes presents real strains on one's personal finances, it is certainly possible to be both a collector of tsuba and a collector of swords. On the other hand either a tsuba or sword collection can stand alone. My own interests are about equally divided between swords and tsuba, and while more experienced collectors have told me that this leads to irreconcilable conflicts necessitating an eventual commitment to one or the other, I have not reached that impasse and frankly doubt the existence of its necessary occurrence. There are doubtless many other joint and separate reasons for collecting tsuba, though I feel that the only one that really exploits the pleasures of tsuba is that discussed immediately above. For some collectors, tsuba may simply be more available than swords, and for others the relative ease of storage, maintenance, and transportation are appealing. There can be no doubt that some new collectors have been attracted by the imagined attractiveness of art abjects as investments, with tsuba being just another "share" in that market. The presumed attraction of swords and tsuba as investments has acted powerfully in recent years in markets for these objects. My views on investing in Japanese swords have been expressed in full detail elsewhere, [*1] and that general argument is mutatis mutand is equally applicable with respect to tsuba. I do not intend to repeat it here other than to say that I feel a general argument, both theoretical and practical, against the folly of investing in art objects is a pretty convincing one when the argument is considered in its entirety. That argument in no way denys the remarkable increases in value that have occurred to the asset value of holdings of swords and tsuba when, as is currently the case, an unstable market is buffeted with short run demand increases on the part of both holders and non-holders of the art objects. Nor does it deny the huge advantage that is always possessed by those with highly specialized, expert, and hard to come by knowledge. Needless to say this knowledge is possessed by neither prospective investors, nor the vast majority of collectors. Hind sight is 20/20 vision, and windfall speculative good fortune is a very different thing than rationally calculating before the fact what the probability of success is for the average investor undertaking the, accumulation of swords or tsuba in comparison with other assets of equal risk. While a capital gain may well be a by-product of collection, this article is not directed to those whose collection is primarily oriented toward that point of view. I should point out at the outset that there are several well known problems faced by the tsuba collector and some of what follows is aimed at minimizing or overcoming them. To mention only a couple , while books and other studies of tsuba abound, and may even be as numerous as material on the sword, there is certainly less available, at least in the post-World War II era, in English and the other major Western languages . For those collectors without Japanese that poses a substantial limitation on study in any depth . A fairly acceptable proof can be found in going back over the publications of the J.S.S.U.S. , the British Token Society , or the monthly material of the Japanese Sword Club of Southern California, and compare the relative amount of material devoted to swords vis-a-vis tsuba. I see no prospect that this void will be filled in the foreseeable future. In addition tsuba seem to be considerably less well understood than swords as the availability of literature suggests. For the more advanced collector this ought to open vistas for productive research, but for the beginner the scarcity and unevenness of information , along with the contradictions, omission, and errors found in the materials available, does present a substantial frustration and disincentive. An important but by no means unique example is the confusion surrounding the popular works of Nobuiye, or more accurately the Nobuiye and their students and branch schools. The definitive study does not exist in any language. The same can be said for tsuba made between the excavated Hoju and those clearly falling into the Ko-tosho and Ko-katchushi categories. Sword collectors can hope for the translation of a good modern Japanese work on the sword to answer many contradictions and ommissions that appear in Western language literature, but tsuba collectors would be more poorly served. The recent work by Sasano [*2] is without question a major contribution to the 1iterature, and yet through its brevity, vague aesthetic illusion, and narrowness of coverage, it leaves us with an appetite for more comprehensive and detailed coverage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *1Frenzel , K.A . , 11 0n Investing in Japanese Swords 11, in Randolph B. - Caldwen, Ed. The Book of the Sword. (Token Kenkyu Kai , 1972) pp. 121-139 *2 Sasano, Masayuki. Early Japanese Sword Guards: Sukashi Tsuba . (Japan Publications , 1972 ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- II . The Commitment to Collect I feel that any serious undertaking requires a conscious and sincere commitment to set about a task and to do it well . Tsuba collecting is no exception. I think there ought to be a decision to collect and with that there must come the acceptance of at least the following three obligations. First comes that barrier of the Japanese language, almost as much a problem for the tsuba collector as the sword collector. You must undertake to minimize its ability to lock you out from more than the most casual use of Japanese illustrated material, and the very inscriptions on the tsuba themselves. The counsel of perfection is of course an organized study program in written Japanese with a competent instructor. Short of that, fairly quick familiarity with the written kanji can be attained by repetitive study of the English and Japanese character representations in Hawley's dictionary of swordsmiths. [*3] Another alternative which is laborious but fairly sure and flexible after sufficient study, is that of Koop and Inada. [*4] The relatively easily attained ability to handle dating schemes and the basic numerical system is of course also essential. Any of these skills requires time and effort, but it is much better than being entirely at the mercy of a "translator". A second obligation which I feel is particularly important for the tsuba collector, is to invest heavily in a collection of research material. The tsuba collector is fortunate in being able to acquire many publications which, while they might be written in an inaccessible language, contain many excellent and extremely useful photographs. The currently available material in English can be had for a few dollars, but the expenditure of $750 or more should be anticipated to acquire the in-print and recent out-of-print Japanese material. To this can be added the occasionally available earlier material which, unless reprinted, commands handsome prices. I will discuss some of this literature below, but it is sufficient to note here that so much can be learned from the careful and systematic study of good tsuba photographs, that the failure to undertake the conscientious building of your own research library is in my view a serious error. Even in the most cosmopolitan centers you will soon discover that the resources of your public or university libraries are sorely inadequate. Your final obligation is to recognize that you must spend money, and substantial amounts of it to build a tsuba collection these days. While this may sound trite, I am convinced that most tsuba collections grow out of an initial interest in swords and that conditions collectors to view tsuba initially as something thrown in almost gratis with a sword. While you may unflinchingly spend $500 for a sword, a tsuba for the same price that is very much as good a buy, will leave most collectors pondering for days. While all good tsuba are by no means that expensive, the point is that for many people the development of a rational economic view towards tsuba is difficult. I think that any anxiety that money spent on a tsuba is somehow "locked in" is unfounded. If anything my observations suggest that tsuba prices have appreciated more rapidly than those for swords. Neither may be rational investments, but that is a different issue. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *3 Hawley , W.M . "Japanese Swordsmiths", 2 volumes. (Hawley, 1966 & 1967) *4 Koop, Albert J., and Hogitaro Inada. "Japanese Names and How to Read Them: A Manual for Art-Collectors and Students". Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1960) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III . Standards of Collection Once you have made a commitment to devote a substantial amount of time and money to your collecting endeavours, then some careful thought ought to be given to, what for the lack of a better phrase I will term, the standards of your collection. By that I mean more than not simply collecting aimlessly or without sufficient discernment and taste. I mean the conscious consideration of what is worth collecting to you, why you might prefer this tsuba to that, and finally the possession of a fairly clear justification for your position. At first one tsuba looks pretty much like another, and I do not suggest that the assurance and self possession of an experienced collector can be attained entirely before the fact. However, some thought given to your standards of collection at an early time will ease the course of trial and error that you will inevitably go through. I would caution against setting out to collect tsuba by type as is so commonly done. Such categories as old or later, large or small, iron or nonferrous, pierced or unpierced, signed or unsigned, thick or thin, or those with brass inlay, flowers, mythological scenes, animals, human figures, and so forth, when used as guides to collection will probably leave you regretting it later. I think you will discover that what you eventually like will transcend such arbitrary and superficial boundaries. A collection certainly ought to be more than aimless accumulation, but I think you can find more lasting and satisfying categories than those mentioned above. At the other extreme from accumulation or collection by type is the all inclusive comprehensive collection that in effect attempts to get an example of everything. This is the mentality of the stamp collector, coin collector, or Colt collector, and I consider it a ludicrous guide to tsuba collection. To say nothing of the practical prospects of ever finishing such a collection, to proceed in such a fashion puts more of a premium on representativeness than on quality and aesthetic excellence. While such collections may be the responsibility of museums, they are a dubious goal for a collector. The distinction is one of that much over used word connoisseurship versus the peculiarly Western penchant for completeness for the sake of completeness. If you choose not to follow the seeming line of least resistance which suggests collecting by type, any or all, then what alternative is there to follow? It is commonly asserted that the Japanese must have the best collections of tsuba, therefore the trick is to discover the dominant tsuba characteristics displayed in Japanese collections. Now certainly Japanese aesthetic taste is different from Western, and you can frequently notice certain striking differences between illustrated Japanese and Western collections, however, if the implication is that by trying to sense in some mechanical visual fashion what the Japanese prefer and by then copying that you will have a good basis for collection, I think such advice is more misleading than helpful for a number of reasons. As a first point I seriously doubt in this day and age that good Japanese taste is so geographically specific that it only manifests itself in Japan. There are fine Western collections reflecting standards of collection well worthy of a beginners study. More importantly the Japanese surely differ in tsuba appreciation between themselves at any moment of time, and they themselves are subject to changing canons of taste. If the injunction to copy Japanese collections made sense prior to World War I when Western owned tsuba, with exceptions, were quite randomly distributed among various collections, it surely makes much less sense today. There are many highly differentiated collections outside Japan, and some will seem more "Japanese" than others. It is therefore a matter of what comparisons you make, inside Japan and out. Ideally we ought to start off as students of a particular teacher, and if so we would tend to adopt his standards, even unconsciously. Most of us are not that fortunate, so we must develop our own point of view, and I would counsel that great benefit should not or cannot be derived from trying to conceive of a clear image of "Japanese" tsuba standards versus other standards. That distinction is too severe and too gross. I feel that when measured by a standard you will eventually develop, rather than one dictated by the number or the fame of pieces, you will agree with me that there are relatively more good Japanese collections than bad in comparison with the West, however, those elements of judgment run deeper than what is obvious from a simple comparison of illustrations. What makes a good tsuba, like what makes a good sword is perhaps not codifiable, though the pursuit of the question gives all serious collectors many hours of pleasurable reflection. Whatever the answer is, it does not lie in a simple juxtaposition of Japanese versus Western. As a second, and more crucial point, it is not so much what the tsuba looks like in a straightforward sense that is important, but rather what it is that is important, and illustrations without substantial written commentary will be of little help in trying to define intrinsic Japanese standards. Even if that could be done, it may not hold much aesthetic meaning for the beginner. Somehow you must discover for yourself what you like and why. As your collecting interests mature they will probably tend to become more compatible with powerful taste setting influences flowing from Japan, and such a convergence is desirable, but I feel that you should not try to define this Japanese standard too narrowly, nor should it be purely adoptive from any one "expert" or group of "experts". There are no ultimate arbiters of good taste, Japanese or otherwise. While display and the approval of others are probably powerful, if unrecognized motives for collections, you must ultimately please yourself by finding satisfaction in the pleasure certain tsuba confer upon you. To do this you must develop enough confidence in your own standards of collection to really believe that you are right and he is wrong when some self-proclaimed arbiter of good taste disparages this or that piece on aesthetic grounds. There will be many better informed collectors who can help you identify fakes, burned, cracked tsuba and the like, and you would be foolish not to search out such opinion, however, on aesthetic groups you must develop your own standards, guided with all the help you can get, but your own ultimately. You may agree, and yet ask: "Just how is such a standard developed?" I have myself switched from one imagined standard to another and almost developed the stare of a Daruma from pouring over Japanese illustrated works time and time again. I only have one rather simple and belatedly obvious suggestion to make. It is not a standard as such, but possibly it might suggest a way for you to acquire your own standard. How do you answer yourself if you ask : "What is a good tsuba?" I have argued above that it is not simply a matter of emulating Japanese collections as such, for they only illustrate the tsuba, not what appealed to the collector about that piece. If you could only buy tsuba that have attained Juyo status your problems would be solved!(? ? ?) What then is a good tsuba? Is it size, subject depicted, state of preservation, age, lack of alteration? I suggest that it is not necessarily any of these things as such, though all of them do have a bearing on the quality of any piece. I think that the true answer is found somewhere in the relationship between craftsmanship and aesthetic content. It is easy but misleading to confuse good craftsmanship with good art. For the later has its foundation in the design, form, texture, and symbolic meaning of an object and not in the narrow quality of its execution. I would therefore urge you to eschew tsuba that are nothing more than flawless and precise in their craftsmanship, and rather try to discover what makes a tsuba good on its intrinsic aesthetic terms. To do this it may be best to try to find those elements in Japanese culture that not only brought about the social usefulness of swords and their fittings, but that are also mirrored with such clarity in all good tsuba and other works of Japanese art. When you have discovered these pervasive and powerful cultural currents, I think you will be much closer to understanding why a good tsuba is good the day it was made. No amount of skilled artifice can make a piece of iron a good tsuba if oneness with the supporting culture is not there. No one is born with an inherent aesthetic standard, Japanese or otherwise, and it must be learned. If you cannot be a part of that ongoing Japanese cultural stream, a fairly careful program of study and observation ought to move you in the direction of seeing tsuba not as objects, but seeing what is seen in a good one. I originally began collecting tsuba in a cultural vacuum, and without giving it any particular thought, acting as if the objects stood alone. They do not, and can no more be understood and evaluated outside their cultural milieu than a Rembrandt can be understood outside the context of 17th century Holland, or primitive African art outside its supporting culture. I gradually began an unsupervised and rather casual reading program, that I feel has helped me in trying to develop some standards of collection that at least try to catch a glimpse of what is aesthetically good in a tsuba itself. I make no claim that this partial list of the material that I have covered is particularly good or that it will leave you with any firm or final notions, but it might help you to discover your own standards of collection. A good starting point is G.B. Sansom, "Japan: A Short Cultural History", revised edition, (Appleton-Centry Crofts, 1962). "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture", (Meridian Books, 1967 , by the cultural anthropologist Ruth Benedict, is a classic key to the Japanese mind. A brief introduction to the pervasive influence of Zen on Eastern culture is Alan W. Watts, "The Spirit of Zen: A Way of Life, Work and Art in the Far East", (Grove Press, 1958). A somewhat more specialized and personal account is Eugen Herrigel's "Zen", (McGraw-Hill , 1964). An extremely interesting work that is probably little known to collectors of swords and tsuba is "Zen and Japanese Culture", (Bollingen Foundation, 1959), by the great Zen teacher Daisetz T. Suzuki. It contains no less than 210 pages explicitly devoted to the cult of the samurai and swordsmanship. Finally you might find some very useful keys to Japanese aesthetic feeling in "The Unknown Craftsman: A Japanese Insight into Beauty", (Kodansha International, 1972 , by the widely recognized founder of the Japanese folkcraft movement Soetsu Yanagi. It is certainly not essential that you read all or any of these works; what is essential is that you work towards some standards of collection that will separate the choice from the profane. When you have done this, you will have your standards and be well on the way to seeing tsuba as the Japanese see them and you will be much more secure as a collector in your own right. IV . Building a Reference Library It is not the intention of this article to try to teach or even express my own feeling of what a good tsuba is; much less it is my task to discuss tsuba nomenclature, schools, artists and the like. However you will find it essential to build your own reference library, and I will briefly discuss what I consider some of the more useful works. I make no attempt to offer an exhaustive list. Works that are very rare and unlikely to be found are omitted. I will also avoid mentioning works that are specialized with respect to school or province. From those works still believed by me to be in-print, probably the three most useful for the beginner are the following: "Arms and Armor of Ancient Japan: An Historical Survey", a publication of the Southern California To-ken Kai with an authoritative and well illustrated tsuba section by Robert E. Haynes; B.W. Robinson's "The Arts of the Japanese Sword" is a contemporary standard containing much useful information on styles, materials, techniques, schools and subsidiary information, though it is not free of serious errors and omissions; and finally the very much appreciated recent work by Masayuki Sasano , "Early Japanese Sword Guards: Sukashi Tsuba". You will also find much useful information, though again not above criticism, in the "Catalogue of Tsuba in the Permanent Collection of the City of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery", with an introduction by Richard Hancock. Though replete with information, the recently reprinted "Japanese Sword-Mounts in the Collections of Field Museum" by Helen C. Gunsaulus is not regarded as highly as it once was, and it should not be considered authoritative. There are a number of private collection catalogues available that are of varying quality. W.M. Hawley is now issuing "Tsubas in Southern California" which was originally released by pages bi-monthly through the Southern California To-ken Kai, showing tsuba in the collections of Club members. While I have not seen this new book, the previous issues were rather unusefully organized primarily by type or material, without the identification of artist or school, and the tsuba are quite uneven in quality. [The present editor Spartancrest- wholly agrees, the publication is "a picture book" at best.] Henri L. Joly was a very well known pre-World War I tsuba writer who collaborated in a number of once scarce catalogues, some of which have since been reprinted; among these are the collections of Arthur H. Church, W.L. Behrens, and G.H. Naunton. Japanese works are fairly numerous, though they are in whole or part relatively less usable for those without or with limited Japanese. A basic pair is "Kinko Jiten" or dictionary of later decorative tsuba makers which can be usefully matched with "Toso Kinko Mei Shuroku" which shows many superb blown-up signatures. Published under the supervision of Junji Homa and K. Sato, "Nihon To Koza" in volumes 6 and 7 illustrates many fine tsuba. A new 8 volume set with excellent illustrations of many tsuba not seen elsewhere is "Toso Kodogu Koza". None of the books or sets mentioned immediately above comes with an English index. While those mentioned above are, to the best of my knowledge, in-print, there are a number of useful publications in various languages that are now out-of-print, and they occasionally can be found. Of those that I am personally familiar with, "Hugo Halberstadts Samling af Japanske Svaerdprydelser" by Karl Berger [Copenhagen, 1953. 61 pp.] is highly regarded. A good catalogue with much introductory information is J. van Daalen, Jr. "Japanese Sword Furniture Collection of the Late General J.C . Pabst". Shinkichi Hara's "Die Meister der Japanischen Schwertzierathen", in 1902 and 1931 editions is an incomplete but good list of artists, and the slightest familiarity with German opens most of its secrets. That volume should be accompanied by its supplement by Henri L. Joly's, "Shosankenshu . List of Names, Kakihan", and it is still in print [this was in 1973]. "Masterpieces of Japanese Sword Guards" by Junji Homa contains superb illustrations and is in both Japanese and English. The English portion is reprinted in "The Book of the Sword", edited by Randolph B. Caldwell and that book may still be available in print [once again this was in 1973]. A small amount of good material is found in the exhibition "Token Catalogue" of the To-Ken Society of Great Britain. A very fine pre-war Japanese work that was reprinted in 1972 and immediately went out-of-print is Noboru Kawaguchi's "Tsuba Taikan". It contains over 640 pages of illustrations with English titles and extensive genealogies. A popular collection with English titles is M. Takezawa's "Nihon Toban Zusetu". Its coverage is extensive and I suspect many of its inclusions are not illustrated elsewhere. The dean of tsuba authorities is Kazutaro Torigoye, and those fortunate enough to own his "Tsuba Kanshoki" can testify to its excellent illustrations. Finally the "Japanische Stichblatter und Schwertzieraten: Sammlung Georg Oeder", by P. Vautier represents the finest standards of Western collection. V. Sources and Pitfalls Tsuba these days must be welcomed wherever they are found, for along with swords they are becoming increasingly scarce on the market . A collector is well advised to join those organizations whose membership comprises persons with similar interests. Not only will this sometimes bring useful written material, news, and the like, but it will also open opportunities for tsuba study and exchange or purchase. More mobile collectors will find it worthwhile to attend various regional shows. The more interesting ones in my opinion are those held by the Chicago Token Study Group in early May, and the Memorial and Thanksgiving Day shows of the Japanese Sword Society of Maryland held at Pikesville. Shops, dealers and auctions are traditional sources of tsuba. At the very least the catalogues of Christie's and Sotheby's in London make fascinating if sometimes unbelievable reading. Local newspaper ads are a favourite with sword collectors, though I have rarely found loose tsuba through ads. Once you have developed your aesthetic standards of collection and feel that you have some notion of what is intrinsically good about a tsuba, you have additional things to consider in deciding whether or not you want to add it to your collection. Is it sound and free of the weaknesses of having been in a fire or having been broken? These were once, and perhaps still are, serious taboos, and yet in Sasano's book, tsuba with just such characteristics are prominently displayed [*5] . Are such tsuba poor? You should think that through yourself. You will have to ask yourself similar questions about false signatures, removed signatures, faithful copies, school pieces, repatinated tsuba and the like. While I have my own opinions along these lines, I will not attempt to force them on you. I do think however that the general state of tsuba study makes definitive answers about some of these pitfalls impossible. There is also substantial room for differing individual positions on factors which it could be argued are subsidiary to a tsuba's intrinsic aesthetic qualities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *5 Sasano, op. cit., p. 85 and p. 192 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI . Tsuba Care, Recording, and Storage Once you own the tsuba there are some important, simple, and pleasurable steps that can be taken to both discover what you have and to care for it. I will treat these in reverse order, and the following remarks refer only to iron tsuba without any nonferrous metal, where specific processes and operations are mentioned. Advice about tsuba care is characterized by both its unreliability and the disagreement in substance between various authors. My own contribution will probably muddy the water a little further, but it contains nothing that I have been able to discover that is harmful through personal experience. Both Robinson [*6] and Sasano [*7] have sections devoted to tsuba care, and for those who are particularly cautious Sasano's advice is doubtless at once both safe and sufficient. The most exhaustive discussion that I know of in English is that by Alex R. Newman [*8], however that advice is both too risky and probably substantially in error. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *6 Robinson, op. cit . , pp . 93-95 *7 Sasano , op. cit. , pp . 277-279 *8 Newman, Alex R., "The Collecting of Tsuba", Bulletin 32, The Japan Society of London, ~ Oct. 1960, pp. 28-32; and, "Restoration and Preservation of Japanese Sword Furniture", Bulletin 34, The Japan Society of London , ~ June. 1961, pp. 2-5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I find iron tsuba in three general conditions: a depressingly small proportion in excellent over all condition that requires no further care; the majority that are in good condition and that will benefit from an active program of care; and finally those that are in need of repatination. The first group requires only study, recording and being filed away for future appreciation. The second group will tend to have scattered yet fairly light surface rust, possibly substantial dirt and grime, and probably some light surface scratching here and there sufficient to remove or reduce the quality of the patina. [ ED. The following information is Not recommended for the novice without consultation with an experienced collector.] The first thing I do with such tsuba is to boil them, suspended from a wire in an old coffee can, in a solution of a household solvent found in Canada called Varsol, and water in proportions of about 1:75. I cannot vouch for the safety of such an operation which undoubtedly needs close attention and good ventilation, however, I have had no problems. This process, involving about a minute's boiling does not harm the tsuba in anyway that I can tell. It does not damage any natural patina that the tsuba has. What it does is simply to remove any foreign material that the water and solvent agent can dissolve. After boiling I give the tsuba a careful hand washing with soap and water and a toothbrush, then a few moments in hot running water, followed by gentle drying with a clean cloth. Unless the tsuba has some uncommon foreign material on it in the first instance, it should now be quite clean and the rusted patches should be clearly differentiated from the unrusted surface. Of course tsuba that have paint on them, or very hardened grease in pierced areas may need the application of commercial paint dissolving preparations or household ammonia. The tsuba is now ready to have the rust removed. If it is quite light, all that should be necessary is a well sharpened piece of deer horn, perhaps assisted in hard to reach places with a very carefully used dental scaler. Under no circumstances should any commercial rust removing agent be used. If the rust is heavier a prior soaking in plain lubricating oil will be helpful. Sometimes it is helpful to loosen fairly thick rust clusters by covering the spot with a piece of leather and tapping it lightly with the knob of a small ball pein hammer. When you have removed all the rust you can without harsh or excessive cleaning, the tsuba should be rewashed. The tsuba will have a cleaned looking surface which I find unsatisfactory without further attention. The least offensive thing to do is to rub it devotedly with a soft cotton bag that you can fashion about the size of your hand and eventually by that alone or perhaps by rubbing with the bare hand, some semblance of good patina ought to occur. A standard alternative that has been called into question in recent years is to cover the tsuba with a light coat of clove oil (Japanese) and rub. It has been asserted by Sasano [*9] that such treatment eventually produces further dangerous rusting, though I cannot vouch for that assertion. My own treatment for tsuba that have been boiled and washed differs only slightly from the traditional clove oil process, and it is doubtless subject to the same condemnation because it uses an oil, though it is harmless in my experience and I continue to use it. I take a good quality poppyseed oil available at any artist's supply store, coat the tsuba and then rub off almost as much as possible with a soft cloth. I then brush carefully with a horsehair shoe brush twice a day for a week, and then every other day or so for about another week, depending on humidity, or until thoroughly dry. The resulting surface has a hard, dull sheen that I feel considerably enhances the tsuba. Some collectors object to the sheen, but that is a matter of taste. Another category of tsuba are those in obvious need of repatination. Such tsuba will be deeply rusted or devoid of patina in whole or in part. Frankly I have neither experimented much with such tsuba nor have I had much luck with them. The long process outlined by Sasano [*10] is probably ideal, though I tend to avoid such tsuba unless they are truly outstanding in my estimation. I have no counsel to offer. It is possible to get such tsuba refinished in the United States and I have availed myself of such services on several occasions, with mixed results ranging from superb to poor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *9 Sasano, op. cit., p. 278 *10 Ibid., p. 278 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When the tsuba is in the final state of what you might plan to do to it, it is then ready for careful recording. At the very least that will involve the preparation of a record sheet that can contain any amount of information, but ought to contain provisions for recording the material the tsuba is made of, N/S and E/W widths, thickness at the seppa-dai and the rim, a verbal description of motif, school, signature if any, period, condition, when and how acquired, cost, and approximate value. You can attach a good oshigata of both sides of the tsuba to your record sheet, and you may want to add cross references to similar tsuba illustrated in works in your reference library. You will find that with a single-lens reflex camera, and either a macro-photographic lens or a close-up lens adaptor, and a little trial and error, you will soon be able to take good coloured slides of your collection. You may wish to display your tsuba from time to time, but some permanent storage container is very desirable. If you can get them, the top quality Japanese wood boxes are ideal. You may alternatively like to put them in small bags that you can either buy or have made. I find good quality black felt bags sewn on three sides and then storage in a dental drawer meets my own requirements. Finally and with some hesitation to discuss it at all, I feel that some concluding remarks are required here on the general subject of authentication. Naturally you want to know what your tsuba is meant to be and that it is a genuine example of that type or school. As a beginner thrown entirely on your own resources you will discover that problems of style and signature frequently make satisfactory attribution and authentication a rather difficult task. The first obvious recourse is to your reference books for similar styles of pieces and signatures. If your library is big enough and your patience holds out, that can be a pretty good first approximation technique, however, the importance and fascination associated with knowing what you have is so strong that you will not want to stop with simply finding a rough physical parallel in the books. A further step is to consult with more knowledgeable collector friends, though as your own knowledge grows you will soon find your opinions may defensibly differ from theirs. The frustrations occasioned by such experiences may leave you searching for an "expert". In very recent years this expert judgment on both swords and tsuba has come with great acceptance in the form of presumably definitive White and Green Papers. There is no doubt that the genuinely expert knowledge symbolized by these papers, when issued under the auspices of the Nippon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (NBTHK), or similar certificates issued by such men as Kazutaro Torigoye, will for all practical purposes answer your doubts as to attribution and authentication. I feel, however, that this phenomenon should be viewed with both some skepticism and caution. As a minor point you might want to ask yourself if the game is really worth the candle. When you have gotten to the point where your discrimination is such that you can begin to separate good tsuba from bad, I think you will find that: (1.) Most of those tsuba will get at least a White Paper; (2.) The overwhelming majority will never go beyond a Green Paper; (3.) Your own appreciation for what the piece is before you submit it will tend to be the same as any paper it might receive. What importance then is the paper? Can you recover the cost and trouble you had to go to in getting the paper? I feel that a much more important point is to analyze what such an immediate and dependent recourse to ultimate expert opinion will do to your own development as a collector. I think the danger is that of atrophy in your own development as a collector. It certainly is frustrating to run out the usefulness of fellow collectors, book illustrations, and the meager material to be found in English, but it is just at that point where the real work and fascination of collecting begins. Through every means you can you must try to discover yourself what an object is, what makes it aesthetically good or bad, and what makes it "true" or "false". Papers can only be of little help along these lines, and they are dangerous if they lead you to believe that they can build a good collection for you or if they lead you to relax in your own pursuit of tsuba knowledge. You surely would not want a tsuba just because it has a paper, nor does that paper alone make you one more iota expert. Papers are obviously important on "big name'' pieces, pieces of potential historical importance, and pieces that might seriously be considered for Juyo rating. The object of tsuba collection ought to be personal satisfaction and the development and cultivation of your own knowledge and taste, and anything that threatens to diminish or substitute for these goals is suspect . By all means discover what you have, but remember that there is no ultimate shortcut. - FINIS - A lot to read and perhaps this information could be placed somewhere more permanent for "Newbies"?

The Holy Grail of the Japanese militaria world, for me anyway. A Yasukuni Shrine sword, and a Baby Nambu pistol rig, with holster, two magazines serial numbered to the gun, cleaning rod, and cartridges. The Baby Nambu was a very expensive pistol for Japanese officers to buy, just as Yasukuni swords were, and are just as rare. Matching rigs are VERY rare. Took me a long time to attain these.

O-Suriage Tachi Late Nombokucho 71.8 cm NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Esshu Mistsuyuki O-Kissaki A very wide and robust sword Many thanks to Mike Yamasaki for selling this to me

Yes, I'm aware there was a themes hiccup, and some may have been set back to the default theme. If you used another theme, just select it again in your settings or below the forum. Was doing some maintenance, and had an issue. In the next few months, we will likely update to a brand new software version, which will be exciting and offer many new features, but there will be some changes (shudder, you guys don't handle change well) but there will be plenty of advantages. In the meantime, one thing that will definitely change is that you will need to login with your registration email address as username, not your current display name. But this is a while away, so you don't need to do anything now. But prepare by checking in your profile what email address you use, so that you are prepared. This is a standard thing where all forums are going, due to the fact that publicly displayed usernames make hacking much easier, as they are readily visible. By using emails (which are not visible to anyone) you add a layer of security. I'll be updating the news over the next few months, but no need to panic now. All remains the same.

Just came across this video and thought I would forward it to the group for interest. Many thanks to the NYTK for the fun video, entitled," Japanese Sword Fittings Prior to 1600's". Link for Video (Click)

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q1157883646 & https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1157883646 the buyer could have got a better deal for the cast guard 10,500 yen - but it was still way way way overpriced! this one advertised on a Chinese site for ¥11,840 JPY* Well you know if you see two it is dodgy, three very dodgy!! If only they had used real sekigane - they might have put a bit more effort separating people from their money! [Yes I am back - being dead is much easier though!]

After a long and patient wait, I have just acquired my first tsuba in the composition of the Jesuit IHS Slanting Rays of Light (Shakoh) or Sacrifice for the Christian Faith (Kirishitan Ikenie). This is not a tokei tsuba (why would samurai and bushi adorn their swords with fittings depicting clock gears?). Here is my summary of this tsuba.

Hello - On September 16, 1945, the Japanese armed forces in Hong Kong surrendered and Major-General OKADA Umekichi handed over his shin gunto to the British naval officer Sir Cecil Harcourt. https://gwulo.com/node/59733/photos-of-person In 2012 I found it in the wonderful National Maritime Museum Greenwich and took the following photographs. It's rare to see a shin gunto (+sword knot!) where a general can be clearly and credibly proven as the owner. Michael

Generally, the ashes are put in an urn. There is a space to store the urn under the tomb. The constructions of tombs are varied. The attached image shows some examples. You might need a mason to open/close the tomb and to waterproof.

I don't think the kissaki was reshaped. I think its the original kanmuri-otoshi style. The origami doesn't mention any reshaping of the kissaki. In the section under the heading "nakago", it notes that the butt-end of the tang was cut off and is now "kuri-jiri" style. I don't think this sword would be designated Juyo if the kissaki were altered. It is still called "ubu" because the machi have not been significantly altered. I'd just note to Nathaniel not to expect consistency in sword or tosogu terminology, especially with these earlier papers. It's maddening, but one learns to live these oddities.

Just saw this...sorry to Brian...I know how he feels. About filling the needs of NMB, I agree, the proposed moderators and the dividing up of the sections and tasks seems the best solution. I my case, thank you for the confidence shown to me . I am here to help contribute to gendaito/gunto matters if needed but must say that I am afraid I am about past my 'use-by' date as a moderator . I am definitely no longer on top of any technological needs for being useful on this board, I think I am really just here for giving advice and assisting as I always have as a contributing member. Thanks guys, but I can't moderate.......I'm sure you will fill the gaps as necessary as there is plenty of talent among you all.

Hi guys selling this beautiful ubu Tadahiro katana and koshirae, don't hesitate to reach out if you want high res/more pics. Tadahiro is the son of Shodai Tadayoshi. He was born in Saga, Hizen in 1614 and he studied under his father (from the age of 10!) and other great smiths such as the first generation Masahiro, and Yoshinobu. When his father died in 1632, Tadahiro took up the reins for the school. He received his title of Omi Daijo in 1641 - a very unusual honour to receive at the young age of 28. The short time to receiving this title is probably an indication of how prolific the school was in producing fine swords, and the prestige it earned for the Nabeshima Daimyo. Nidai Tadahiro passed away at the age of 81 in the sixth year of Genroku or 1693. His sword-making career spanned over sixty years and resulted in him being the most prolific artisan among the Hizen smiths. Smith Ratings: Fujishiro’s reference: Jo Jo Saku (Above Superior made) Hawley’s: 70 points Toko taikan / Dr Tokuno: 800 man yen (very highly regarded) Sharpness rating: Kokan Kaji Biko by Yamada Asaemon- rated as O Wazamono (formidable cutting ability). Nidai Tadahiro’s forte is his skill in producing suguha hamon. Sword specifications Type : Katana Mei : HIZEN KUNI JÛ FUJIWARA TADAHIRO 肥前国住藤原忠廣 Paper : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Era/Age : between 1633 and July 1641 Shirasaya : Sayagaki by Tanobe sensai Koshirae : Yes Nagasa / Blade Length : 74.5cm Nakago : Length 20.8cm. Ubu. Nakago-jiri is iri-yamagata. Yasurime are kiri Sori : 1.2cm Moto haba: 3.19cm Saki haba: 2.01cm Kasane: 6.64mm Hamon Type : Suguha Jihada : Konuka Other Hataraki Visible : Ashi and yo, some small kinsuji Flaws : Small oil stain in kissaki/boshi on one side (see pic), some small light scratches Sword Location : Australia Will ship to : Anywhere, shipping fees / any customs duties etc responsibility of buyer Payment Methods Accepted : Bank transfer Price and Currency : USD $17,500 Other Info and Full Description : This is a large Shinto Katana with good length and in very good polish. Very consistent suguha noiguchi and a beautiful example of a Hizen blade by the Nidai Tadahiro as mentioned by Tanobe sensai. Sayagaki translation Hizen-no-kuni Fujiwara Tadahiro Ubu with eight-character signature. An early work of the Tadahiro 2nd. The jitetsu of konuka hada, and the clear, belt-like suguha are excellent, and show off this smith's true abilities. This piece was made circa Kan'ei 14 (1637), before Tadahiro received the title of "Ōmi daijō" Length of two shaku, four sun, six bu. Appraised and written on this day in November, 2009, by Tanzan Hendō.

More

Thats gotta be something in the saya... -t

Jake, firstly, Akita and Shonai are two separate regions. The founder of the Akita-Shoami school (Denbei) was born in Shonai, and his older brother (Kiyonari) who he learned a lot from, was a master of the Shonai-Shoami school. My point was that Denbei, who was originally from Shonai (but later moved to Akita) trained in the style of Shonai-Shoami. So even though he later developed his own style, we also see works in the Shonai style by him, and the picture I posted is one such example. I know it has become fashionable to question NBTHK attributions as they are often generic and occasionally make mistakes, but the people who do these have seriously studied swords and fittings for a significant proportion of their lives. Perhaps you want it to be a Higo tsuba because such an attribution seems more appealing than Shonai, but it seems as though you are overly fixating on the 'Hosokawa' kamon. There are also four other kamon on that tsuba which you are not taking into consideration. Do these have any connection to Hosokawa? Moreover, the fukurin on the Hirata Hikozo is completely different to your tsuba and the Denbei example (as is the shape), and is not comparable at all. Odawara fukurin are a kantei point for Hirata Hikozo. Of the two tsuba Dale listed, only one has papers (to Nishigaki). The one on Grey's website, doesn't have a fukurin and has a very different aesthetic (it's much chunkier). I think Curran's insights (a, b, and c) explain the difference in attributions between the papered Nishigaki and yours very well. Also, look at the tagane around the nakago-ana on your tsuba, the * shaped tagane was not used by any Higo master (that I am aware of). Also, Curran knows the Higo schools very well, so if he disagrees that it is Higo, I think that it's right to accept the NBTHK's attribution of 'Shonai'.

Happy to hear! Positive feedback is encouraging. If there are enough interested people that follow the substack, it'll keep me motivated to post more research! The Shizu line is fascinating. Did you know a new zaimei Shizu daito was uncovered and passed Juyo Shinsa this year? I'd love to do a writeup on that blade, but the odds to get in-hand and do photography aren't on our side. To each his own. I'm basing my research on the NBHTK's tradition of attribution, and belong firmly into the "Tanobian" school of thought, which is itself extension of Honma Junji's approach. As you know, appraisals on mumei blades are partly specific features, partly quality gradients, depends on the case. For those interested, the best way to dive into it is to buy Markus Sesko's excellent (and ongoing!) translation of the Kanto Hibisho. I can't recommend it enough, it's a rare glimpse into his stream of consciousness. Get it here. Beautiful photos, great write-ups, and in-depth research, this is what I miss most. Hopefully, we can re-create some of the magic of Yuhindo. Best, Hoshi

Ref.

As a reminder, I had received a blade that was pretty badly bent (pic 1 with reference lines). There was also a noticeable gap visible between the guard and the saya (pic 2) due to the guard being bent and twisted. I decided to go ahead and try to straighten the blade and guard. The result was that it was far easier than I thought it would be (see pics 3 and 4 with reference lines). After disassembly, I clamped the blade into a vise with blocks of wood for support (sorry, no pics of the naked bent blade and guard). I used very gentle pressure and was able to straighten the blade fairly well. Seems like the metal is rather malleable. I then put the guard in the vise and, using duct tape covered pliers, straightened the twisted and bent guard. Note the gap is no longer there (see pic 5). All in all, a successful attempt. John C.

So I got a better camera, and took this from a distance!

(Last two Koshiraé on the list above.) catching the light on the raden and from the other side

A lock, a cage - strong box. What can it be? Interested in opinions.

I recently read an interesting book titled "A Daughter of the Samurai". Published in the U.S. in 1925, the author, Madame Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto, was born into a high ranking samurai family in 1874. Described as an autobiographical novel, it is quite readable and provides many insights into traditional Japanese culture and practices, including shedding light on a number of themes that we see expressed in koshirae. The book is available for free download on the Project Gutenberg website. She doesn't discuss weaponry very much, but in one place laments seeing servants carrying off bundles of katana and armour to the second-hand dealer to raise money. There is also a passage which goes into some detail about the katana, kogatana, and kogai, which I thought might be of interest to NMB members as it is somewhat different from what I've seen previously: "[S]he brought out her other treasure - a slender, blunt knife called a kogai, which, with the throwing- dagger, forms part of the hilt of a samurai's long sword. In very ancient days Japanese warfare was a science. Artistic skill was always displayed in the use of weapons, and no soldier was proud of having wounded an enemy in any other manner than the one established by samurai rules. The long sword had for its goal only four points: the top of the head, the wrist, the side, and the leg below the knee. The throwing-dagger must speed its way, true as an arrow, direct to the forehead, throat, or wrist. But the blunt kogai had many uses. It was the key that locked the sword in its scabbard; when double it could be used as chopsticks by the marching soldier; it has been used on the battlefield, or in retreat, mercifully to pierce the ankle vein of a suffering and dying comrade, and it had the unique use in a clan feud, when found sticking upright in the ankle of a dead foe, of bearing the silent challenge, "I await thy return." It's crest told to whom it belonged and, in time, it generally was returned - to its owner's ankle. The kogai figures in many tales of romance and revenge of the Middle Ages." Cheers, Michael BC

Kanayama tsuba are thought to have been produced only during a 25-30 year period spanning the late 16th and early 17th centuries during the Momoyama and earliest Early Edo Periods. They reflect the aesthetics of the Wabi Tea Culture of their time. However, like all trends occurring in a small sub-population of refined connoisseurs (the buke in this case) amidst the rapid changes in sensibilities that accompanied significant transformation of the sociopolitical landscape, their demand and production were short-lived. We presume that there were, therefore, only a very small group of tsubako in Owari Province at the center of this artistic development. The problem is that none of their creations are signed. Is it possible, nonetheless, to identify individual tsubako based on characteristic features of their mumei works (e.g. motifs, composition, forging techniques, etc.)? Just as we have Shodai, Nidai, and Sandai masters of a particular school such as Yamakichibei (at least 5 masters and perhaps other smiths in their workshops). I submit two tsuba from my collection that I display together because they share so many features in common that they are highly likely to have been the products of a single smith or small atelier, whom I call “Hyotan-dai” (maybe someone can offer a better phrase) because of his apparent fondness for gourds as depicted in my two tsuba. This is speculative of course, but nonetheless compelling. Same iron forging technique (including tsuchime and tekkotsu), perfect marugata type, similar style of seppa-dai, square mimi, and same color/texture. In toto we see a defining profile of his workmanship.

I'm sorry, but this sword has all the features of a Chinese repro.

G'day Guys, Here are some better photos of the 1866 dated blade from above. The horimono are very small, but still incredibly detailed. Cheers, Bryce

Here is the $175 Kanayama tsuba I picked up somehow along the way in Singapore (about 2001) at an antique shop, not realizing what I stumbled on until a year ago when I saw it published in Owari To Mikawa No Tanko. It is just chock full of tekkotsu and dripping with Wabi Tea Ceremony aesthetics. It has punch marks around the nakago-ana.

Haha, well, that post deserves another Koshiraé or two! Watch this space. (Thank you in turn.)

I cannot decipher several parts, and I tried a guess work. I am especially unsure about the blue parts. 此刀ハ我か珍蔵月山貞一之作也□を脱すれハ電光 閃き星芒将ゐ人をして寒からしむ然れども装鞘素朴 鐔鐵剛強維新志士が剱撃闘争活躍ニ実 用せし物たること歴然たり吾其の手澤を愛惜して 改造せす後人をして其間を偲び士気を養ふる資□□ と云□ 昭和三年十月吉日　石川水心先識す This sword is my rare collection made by Gassan Sadakazu. If it is drawn, lightning flashes and sparkles scatter, and it makes a man frightened. However, its fittings/scabbard are simple and iron tsuba is firm. It is obvious that it was practically used in sword battles by samurai of the restoration. I have a deep affection for this favorite item, and I will leave it unrestored to make later generations think of that era and raise their morales. Showa 3rd year, a lucky day in 10th month　Ishikawa Suishin foresees.

Welcome back! Gave us a scare there. I noticed a lack of posts from @Stephen lately too, but I see he has been logging in, so I assume he's ok and hibernating. Good to know people are missed when they disappear. You need to at least get a carrier pigeon Dale!

Eden, it is most likely Kaneko Magoroko KANEMOTO from Seki. He was born in 1924 , trained as a smith and earlier signed Kaneko. In 1944 he became the 27th gen Kanemoto and from then signed 兼元. The hamon of the blade is the classic sanbonsugi of the Seki/Mino smiths that his line used. Your sword in Naval mounted kaigunto and he was known to produce for the Navy. See info and examples in NMB Downloads: Gifu Swordsmiths and also Naval Swordsmiths Part 2.

I am sorry to say that it is a clear Chinese fake.

This is a skillfully carved ji-sukashi tsuba attributed to Kinai by Sasano sensei with his hakogaki. Kinai is brushed on the top of the lid, while the hakogaki with his mei is brushed on the inside of the lid. This tsuba really inspired my sukashi tsuba collecting starting back in spring 2024. It is difficult to part with it, but my focus has crystallized to Momoyama-Early Edo Owari Province sukashi tsuba with religious iconography. The early Kinai were heavily influenced by the Shoami style with ample movement. This one has alternating aoi (hollyhock) leaves and buds, which I interpret as symbolic of "life-death-rebirth." The carving has a wonderful and deep 3D quality to it. The iron is dark brown/blackish and smooth. I suspect that this "dished" tsuba is mid-Edo, but because it is mumei, it is very difficult to attribute to a specific Kinai smith. $800 + $25 (shipping in US) is firm. International shipping at actual cost. If you would like the custom display stand I made, it is an additional $30. Please PM me for more info and additional photos. 72 x 71 mm, 5.9 mm (mimi), 5.5 mm (seppai-dai).

Thank you all for the kind words! It is a great feeling to read the positive comments.

Indeed, AFU translations as well as other translated publications do have mistranslations. And it worked in both directions where somebody's Japanese wasn't quite right or somebody's English wasn't quite right, ending with something getting lost in translation. That, on top of the fact that the study of nihonto is difficult to begin with and translators are sometimes not advanced in their knowledge of nihonto. This is one reason why it is essential to double and even triple check your findings with multiple sources. p.s. this lesson of mistranslations I learned the hard way when it was pointed out by non other than Han Bing Siong in response to a JSS article I had written. A most humbling early experience that taught me to make sure that all the facts were correct, as well as the importance of having a good nihonto library being invaluable.

Nazar: Just wanted to pass on my total support for Ukraine in this horrible war. I'm so sorry you've had to put aside your life to fight off an aggressive invader. I hope that soon this will be in the past. Growing up in Saskatchewan, Canada, I lived within a Ukrainian expat community, many of whom arrived as a result of past horrific actions initiated by Moscow. Slava Ukraine! Robert S.

Yes, it was. I was in more than two minds to initiate it to be honest... I didn't want to find out any bad news, I also did not want to intrude on Dale's privacy, and I was also concious of using police resources. I was properly concerned though, so I made the call. The services acted very quickly, I hope Dale didn't feel intruded upon.

Any requests out there? Here’s a ‘cobble-stones’ lacquer technique I’ve not come across before. to wit:

OK, there does seem to be some interest here after all. I shall pick a few that I particularly liked then, and post them here. Nagadachi 長太刀 First of all, this GIANT Kinkarakawa tsutsumi-zaya nagadachi koshirae. Oh, ...did I mention that it is quite big? In fact it was too big for the camera, so here’s half of it, the Tsuka end.

The absolute best is Isshindo just up the block from Isseido - many many books on swords and fittings and a warehouse full of rare titles so if you don't see what you are looking for ask. I used to haunt the bookstores when I lived there and many places around the Kanto I would ask for sword books and they would tell me "no Isshindo bought them all"... -t

壽命 - Jumyo

This is the kind of sword we should be discussing on this forum. Great effort @Lewis B lately. You're picking up fast. Your posts are interesting, which is motivating a few of us to contribute more to sharing knowledge. RE: The Yoshifusa. As @Gakusee said, it is in his early Ko-Bizen style, which is more suited for an advanced collector, perhaps as a second Yoshifusa, to provide an illustration of the migration movement from Ko-Bizen to Ichimonji in the early to middle Kamakura period. It is understandably somewhat arcane, so it can be quite difficult to find a market for such a blade. The price is reasonable given its extreme rarity, but it's far from an easy one for which to find a good home. In general, the more you deviate from the preferred style, the more your market narrows. For Yoshifusa, this preferred style - and most common style - is the glamorous and complex choji that vary wildly. Although, keep in mind, we are talking ultra-rarities there, with 31 works extant works that can even be exported outside Japan. So, this Yoshifusa in Ko-Bizen style is a rarity amongst rarities, with 4 exportable works in Ko-Bizen deki. Nonetheless, the glamorous Yoshifusa is most sought after, and I think this needs no academic explanation...the flamboyance is simply spectacular, and wildly considered to be the peak of Ichimonji's glamorous style, everyone just "gets it". For other smiths, their rare styles are their preferred styles. Take Nagamitsu, he has less than a handful of blades in the style of his father, but the few that can be found tend to be Kokuho or Jubun and considered to be his supreme masterworks. Keep up the passion!

Greetings! I recently became the owner of this beautiful set. It's a pity that the photo, as usual, does not convey all the beauty. I would like to learn more information about this master and the school, as well as reveal the plot in more detail. Does anyone have any thoughts? The description of the lot from the Sothebis 2006 auction says: «Inlaid in iroe takazogan with New Year revellers on a shibuichi nanako ground, signed Kanryusai Yoshimori and kao» Here's what I could find about Yoshimori. Part of the signature matches in small details. https://www.tosogu.d...nno-yoshimori-kozuka Thank you all in advance!

In fact, Piers, with your profound knowledge of armour, teppo, language, the Japanese culture and elegant, polite manner, I think you will be one of the best moderators ever…. In fact, you will elevate the role and discourse, if I may say so. And after all, keeping control of us all will not be dissimilar to your teaching career and managing unruly hotheaded youngsters.

Really sorry to hear about your ongoing health problems Brian; I was hoping you at least would be indestructible. Not sure if I could commit to any more super powers, but I do tend to keep a weather eye daily on the teppo section, translations, and odd things like Netsuke etc.