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A quick look at the first two pictures of this tsuba and I expect many of you will jumping up and down shouting ‘Easy! Echizen Kinai tsuba of aoi leaves.’ Just like the one I’ve included for comparison signed Echizen ju Kinai saku. Problem with my tsuba is the it is probably shibuichi and mumei (Kinai were never shy about adding signatures). The tsuba is 7.2 cm x 6.9 cm x 0.4 cm, Weight: 132 g and is essentially a standard Echizen aoi design. The tsuba is almost totally symmetrical about the vertical axis, having two kogai hitsu ana and matching tagane around the nakago ana, making assignment to the omote or ura impossible. The inlay karakusa scrolls are the same, but the raindrops on the leaves differ. So who made it? I have never seen a shibuichi Kinai tsuba, but this does not mean they did not make any. The quality looks above their standard output, so why not sign it? Best explanations I have are that maybe it was made for a high-ranking samurai, by another workshop, who liked to wear a bit of bling on formal occasions but still wear the tsuba design that lesser ranks used, or it was made by a kinko artist as a copy of an iron Kinai tsuba to make a more saleable product for the Western market. Either explanation would explain the lack of wear. Look forward to your comments. John Just a guy making observations, asking questions and trying to learn

Opinion of historical figures often put down the guidelines to highlight a masterpiece. Weather it be smiths, collecters, dealers connoisseurs etc. But im a firm believer in the opinions of togishi as to what a masterpiece is. As for who else, in this world but a togi has ever had such insight into what IS or ISNT a masterpiece

made by Naruki Issei (成木一成 ) - mukansa 2009 - he was a very prolific tsuba maker and especially his Owari tsuba were very nice Born on September 10, 1931 (Showa 6) in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, as the eldest son of Seiichi Naruki. 1945-1950 (Showa 20-25) He studied ancient ceramics under Fujio Koyama and Toyozo Arakawa. In 1960 (Showa 35), he was unable to move his lower body due to illness and had to abandon his research into ancient ceramics. He was deeply impressed by an iron tsuba his father showed him, and began researching and prototyping. 1963 (Showa 38) He began full-scale production of iron tsuba in Saneto, Nakatsugawa City. 1966-1969 (Showa 41-44) He learned the Kaga inlay technique from Isamu Takahashi. Around 1975 (Showa 50), he began considering creating the base metal for tsuba by blowing iron sand. Prior to that, he experimented with Western iron and collected reclaimed iron from the Edo period, which he then commissioned a swordsmith to roll into sheet form for his tsuba crafts. In 1977 (Showa 52), he held his first solo exhibition, "Tracing the Four Seasons of Mino," at Ginza Matsuya. He expressed the simple yet powerful painting of ancient Mino ceramics on his tsuba. He was awarded the Gifu Prefectural Governor's Award for Outstanding Craftsmanship. In 1978 (Showa 53), he began making tsuba from his own steel. He was awarded the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon. He held his second collaborative exhibition, "Reproduction of the Tetsuhirumaki Tachi Koshirae," at Ginza Matsuya. In 1981 (Showa 56), he was designated a holder of an intangible cultural property by Nakatsugawa City for his iron tsuba-making techniques. In 1982 (Showa 57), he began performing the entire process, from charcoal making to tatara (smelting) work. From November 1982 to January 1983, he worked daily on the kettle pressing and kept records. He collected iron sand and iron ore from over 50 locations across Japan. In 1983, he held his second solo exhibition, "Making Tsuba with Homemade Steel," featuring homemade steel made from iron sand from various regions. He compared iron made from iron sand and iron ore from various regions across Japan. He also published "Making Tsuba with Homemade Steel." In 1986, he received the Medal with Yellow Ribbon. In 1987, he held his third solo exhibition, "Yagyu Thirty-Six Immortal Poets Tsuba," at the Kuwana City Museum. Yagyu Ren'ya passed away just as 31 original Yagyu tsuba had been produced. The drawings, drawn 20 years later, reveal that the illustrations for the remaining five tsuba are unknown. Naruki, based on the secrets of their names, also produced those five, resulting in a total of 36 pieces on display. In 1998, the "Tsuba: The Keystone of Japanese Swords: Naruki Kazunari and Ishida Tetsuo Exhibition" was held at the Hoshi to Mori no Uta Museum. In 1999, he received his first Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the Nittoho New Masterpiece Swords Exhibition. Since then, he has received the award 11 times in a row, and his award has been included in the "Special Exhibition: The Beauty of Tsuba: The Challenge of Tsuba Craftsman Naruki Kazunari." In 2000, he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Swords Exhibition. In 2001, he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Swords Exhibition. The "In Pursuit of the Purple Rust-Colored Steel Bark: The World of Naruki Kazunari" exhibition was held at the Hoshi to Mori no Uta Museum. In 2002 (Heisei 14), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. Held the exhibition "Pursuing the Beauty of Naruki Kazunari's Worldwide Iron Tsuba" at the Gifu Prefectural Museum. In 2003 (Heisei 15), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2004 (Heisei 16), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2005 (Heisei 17), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2006 (Heisei 18), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2007 (Heisei 19), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2008 (Heisei 20), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2009 (Heisei 21), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. Certified as a non-judgmentalist Since 2010 (Heisei 22), he has entered competitions every year. Since he was non-judgmental, he did not receive any awards. In 2011 (Heisei 23), he was awarded the Gifu Prefecture Traditional Culture Inheritance Award. In 2013 (Heisei 25), he held the exhibition "The Beauty of Tsuba: The Challenge of Tsuba Craftsman Kazunari Naruki" at the Gifu Prefectural Museum. He passed away at the facility in 2022.

I will give it a go 😊 thanks

Nanban or Hizen... not Jakushi (although there's a similar look to the nunome, Jakushi never did this tsuba shape or did this type of design theme). It's probably a Chinese craftsman working in one of the ports in Japan (therefore should get a hybrid combined attribution of both Nanban and Hizen... which never happens in the papering world, because they are fixated on sticking to the narrow set of categories that were agreed upon in the past. Both categories of Nanban and Hizen are loosely defined at best and have lots of issues... so the exact attribution under those two labels is kind of arbitrary anyway. Either way, it's an unusual tsuba so congrats on your first purchase.

Hello, What makes a sword a masterpiece? What are the features that are, in your view, necessary, sufficient, or ideally both, for a sword to be considered a Meito. A Meito, literally “named sword” or “famed sword” is a term used to describe masterpieces. There has long been a misconception that a Meito is a sword with a name (Go). But this is incorrect. It is because a sword is a Meito that it often comes with extraordinary provenance and in some cases, a Go (name). Let's try to go beyond Ogasawara Nobuo's famous lecture on the topic. My hope is that this question will stimulate some interesting exchanges and create educational value. Best, Hoshi

Thank you for the thought-provoking question! I believe this is a question that can be addressed on different levels and at varying depths. When it comes to the finer nuances and discussions of individual characteristics, I must admit that I am not sufficiently familiar with, nor have I seen enough masterpieces to truly understand the delicate subtleties that experienced eyes, honed over centuries, have agreed upon. Through this collective expertise, certain aesthetic values "Eigenwerte" have crystallized. I look forward to learning from the experiences of forum members and gaining deeper insights into the taxonomy and layers of information that distinguish these masterpieces. For now, I will approach this question from a very personal, somewhat rudimentary, and instinctive standpoint, one that has drawn me to nihonto even before I began to understand why certain blade characteristics, under specific historical conditions, might be favored while others are dismissed. If I were to seriously consider your question, Chris, my approach would primarily involve not actively categorizing layers of information, but rather passively experiencing a presence. When I look at a blade, without the weight of learned knowledge — without any understanding of time, smith, school, or historical context — the perception itself deepens, intensifies, gains body and volume. As Hugo von Hofmannsthal beautifully put it: "... die Worte haben sich vor die Dinge gestellt. Das Hörensagen hat die Welt verschluckt“. The view of certain objects, in this case nihonto, that some might regard as masterpieces, can best be described as an intensity of experience that transports me as an observer into a feverish state of mind. It evokes the naïve feeling that something sacred is before me, where the untrained eye might otherwise pass by with indifferent ease. This is a relationship not defined by representation, meaning, or concept, but rather by immediate, unmediated contact and presence. From a different perspective, I would call it "composition of trivialities" that becomes the source of an enigmatic, wordless delight (an epiphanic moment?). When one has not yet acquired sufficient technical or academic knowledge, the encounter with such objects is experienced as "thinking with the heart." Ultimately, the heightened attention to certain things, like specific nihonto pieces, goes hand in hand with a sense of self-forgetfulness and loss. The effect is palpable, dense, yet elusive. One is unable to place it, unable to name it, and the continuum of information is disrupted. Upon leaving the informational plane, it permeates and lands in an indeterminate zone of the self, eluding the cognitive control. I have to admit, sometimes, there is something beautiful in ignorance, in the blind spot. It is a place of imagination, and the object before one transforms into a masterpiece, even though it may be regarded as worthless by the majority. In other words, certain masterpieces impress precisely because they refuse to allow any attribution of defining qualities. They remain a secret. Other nihonto, which are commonly accepted as masterpieces, often represent visual information that does not evoke the same level of "affect" in me. The intensity of the gaze is missing. Only through study does the passion emerge. The underlying perception, however, I would describe as more extensive, additive, and cumulative. The enjoyment is akin to reading a lecture.

This is mine, signed Houzan

Not a week goes by without the appearance of fake Japanese swords on UK auction websites,I've looked at four this morning! Auctioneers either don't know or don't care about the authenticity of the items they describe variously,including 'samuri' and 'kutani' swords yet they're able to describe with exquisite perfection the nuances of pottery and furniture. They clearly believe that "Ignorance is bliss" and just look to sell,sell,sell,which is hardly surprising given the extortionate commission rates that are being charged,I recently bought a sword knocked down (hammer) £480,with commission and shipping it finished at just over £700,so no bargain! charles

I would say as common as midare utsuri. They go well together, while indeed mokume is quite common, but utsuri will typically be more simple. On Mino... I can finance the sword going to NBTHK for shinsa and I'll put 5,000 USD as wager. If it gets Bizen to one of Muromachi generations (simply because I can't guarantee they'll put a specific generation or period on the papers, its a bit random), I win 5,000$. If it gets Mino I lose 5000$ wager. If it gets neither I do not get compensated for the shinsa.

Dear John. Thoughts not answers but..... Matched hitsu in the form for kogai is not a feature of Kinai work generally. The scrolls are stylistically a little removed from typical Kinai work and seem to be honzogan rather than nunome zogan. The seppa dai is rather koban shaped for Kinai work. Oh, and the fact that Kinai examples usually have the design firmly contained within a mimi. There is this one,https://japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/tsuba-kodogu/t227-amazing-echizen-kinai-tsuba-5th-generation/ Although the design takes us straight to Kinai I would guess that this is one of those cases where design does not equal school. By the way I love it! All the best.

Thank you Moriyama San. The kozuka is dated 1864. Therefore I think I have found him.

Wakizashi Attributed to Sōshū Masahiro, Ōei Era (NBTHK Hozon) Price: $4,500 + shipping This mumei wakizashi has been attributed by the NBTHK to Sōshū Masahiro and is accompanied by a current NBTHK Hozon kanteisho. The blade is from the Ōei period, a time during which the activity of the second and third generations of Masahiro overlapped. While both generations produced work under the same name, the characteristics of this blade align more closely with the nidai. The presence of a vibrant hitatsura with bright nie, ara-nie, tobiyaki, and muneyaki, along with an active jihada, suggests the hand of the second generation more so than the sandai, whose work tends to exhibit a quieter and less nie-laden surface. The blade measures 1 shaku 5 sun 8 bu and is in an older but intact polish, with a few minor stains. The hitatsura is highly expressive, featuring rich nie activity across the ha and ji. Ara-nie forms strong kinsuji and sunagashi in areas, with tobiyaki scattered across the monouchi and muneyaki continuing along the back. The boshi is deeply tempered with nie-kuzure. The jihada is itame with some small ware, and the blade shows possible evidence of historical use, including several kirikomi along the monouchi. The sugata is elegant and in the style of a kodachi. The form of the habaki suggests it was once fitted in a koshirae in the efu-tachi style. Masahiro is considered a direct descendant of Hiromitsu, who in turn transmitted the most technically advanced aspects of the Sōshū tradition after Masamune. Hiromitsu is credited with the perfection of hitatsura. Masahiro’s early work clearly reflects the techniques and aesthetic principles developed under Hiromitsu’s hand. An example of shodai Soshu Masahiro is listed below. https://nihonart.com/portfolio/shodai-soshu-masahiro-ko-wakizashi/ The nidai Masahiro worked through the Meitoku and into the early Ōei period. He is distinguished from the sandai by his liberal use of nie and a more active chōji-midare and gunome-midare structure. In contrast, the sandai’s blades are quieter, occasionally verging toward suguha-based interpretations with reduced nie. This blade, with its dynamic hataraki and exuberant use of nie-deki, is more consistent with the nidai’s approach. The overall construction and shaping of the nakago also supports an earlier attribution within the lineage. MASAHIRO (正広), 1st gen., Jōji (貞治, 1362-1368), Sagami – “Sōshū-jū Masahiro” (相州住正広), “Masahiro” (正広), “Sōshū-jū Masahiro saku” (相州住正広作), first name Kurōjirō (九郎二郎), student of the 1st gen. Sōshū Hiromitsu (広光), he worked in the style of his master whereas his hamon is somewhat smaller dimensioned as that of Hiromitsu, he also adds some togari elements, there are tachi, ko-wakizashi and tantō extant, chūjō-saku MASAHIRO (正広), 2nd gen., Meitoku (明徳, 1390-1394), Sagami – “Sōshū-jū Masahiro” (相州住正広), “Masahiro” (正広), suguha-chō mixed with slightly undulating notare, gunome, ashi, yō, sunagashi and small tobiyaki in nie-deki, higher gunome elements towards the bōshi area can be connected to the kaeri and muneyaki MASAHIRO (正広), 3rd gen., Ōei (応永, 1394-1428), Sagami – “Sagami no Kuni-jūnin Masahiro” (相模国住人 正広), “Sōshū-jū Masahiro” (相州住正広),, “Sōshū-jūnin Masahiro” (相州住人正広), only few blades are extant by him, the jiba is no longer noticeably nie-laden with his generation

Jake, My dream hobby in retirement would be to spend a couple of days each month in the BM or V&A in London examining soft metal tsuba with an XRF gun and collecting data on the composition. Of particular interest would be 'chocolate brown shakudo' tsuba, often sold by major auction houses and Japanese dealers, which I suspect are nigurome with little or no gold. John

100% agree with what Dale says. If a tsuba fits a Shōami attribution this is one (and many doesn't...)

Hi Jay and welcome. I believe it is a typical Shoami school piece, they are relatively common and tend to have a waterfall and mountain scene - with minimal soft metal overlay [nunome] and some inlay. There is a notch at the bottom of the nakago-ana that suggests it has been mounted [but probably only briefly]. I am a little surprised that it is not signed, most are. [not being signed can be a "good" thing - many have fake signatures] Compare it to this one that is cast, the hitsu are rough and not filed smooth the "signature" is crude and to my eyes obviously cast-in [IMHO] Fake signature : 正阿弥包矩 (Shoami-Kanenori) Compare the cast signature to the tachi-mokko one. I strongly believe Jay's piece is hand carved, the cloud swirls on the ura are carved-in not cast. Another selling on ebay - signed and with the characteristic waterfall on one side, rocks on the opposite. Some appear "rushed" and like this one are often neglected [unsigned as well] The Tachi-mokko shaped examples are also common, each have subtle design differences, check this thread: You can also check out this auction site https://www.eldreds.com/auction-lot/iron-shin-no-maru-gata-tsuba-signed-eichizen-kin_6EB3733865 They don't know their stuff, as it is NOT signed Echizen Kinai!

Possibly made for one of the tsuba competitions in Japan?

High stakes 😅 But, If I *were* a betting man, I'd be placing on a Bizen attribution from NBTHK... Maybe going as far as saying Early Muramachi. I feel that the characteristics are very fitting of the school: Choji Hamon ✅ Clear Utsuri ✅ Midare-Komi Boshi ✅

@vajo @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN Got a first-time blade of Yoshikane 吉包 on this Warrelics Post, number マ 468. He's not listed in the JSI RJT list. Sesko has him, but doesn't mention his RJT qual. "YOSHIKANE (吉包), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Yamagata – “Ugo Sakata-jū Ikeda Yoshikane saku” (羽後酒田住 池田吉包作), real name Ikeda Kaneyoshi (池田金吉)"

Well, it's not helped by the homonyms in Japanese: 名刀 famed sword. 銘刀 signed sword. Both "meito" ("meitou" using Hepburn romanization). I hope this 名答 is helpful 🤣

To my mind, it's a sword that exemplifies the best aesthetics, forging and metal for its place and period. Sometimes its also a sword that was part of breaking new ground in practice or aesthetics. Speaking as a craftsperson, there's also the personal masterpiece of a given smith - that one blade where everything just came together at a level at the limit of their ability, or almost magically beyond it. Often now we know too little about the smiths and their history to be able to identify that piece, or it is long lost, but at the time the smith, other smith's around him, and his customers will have known that there was one blade which just stood out.

SOLD

Dear Dee. A longshot from me. I cannot see a space for a kogai though there is a slot for a kozuka and a corresponding hitsu in the tsuba. One of the seppa is gold foiled, the other looks like a replacement. I agree the binding is not a good look for this sword. The hanging ring appears to be integral with a fitting that encircles the saya and includes a kurikata, all in nanako. One possible direction is that around the Boshin war samurai were wearing Western dress, or an approximation thereof, and sometimes rather unusual sword hangers. I wonder if this fitting could have been made to allow both a traditional position in the obi and a European style carry with the edge down, either as a modification to an existing koshirae or perhaps as the koshirae was assembled. Have a look at the first picture in this link, https://sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/51310/samurai-guns Also this wonderful example, https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_tachi&katana_A040720.html You might also search around toppei koshirae, a form I enjoy. Edit to follow on from Marcin's post. I do not think the example in Dee's post has anything to do with Gunto, unless of course it has a Showa blade. All the best.

Mauro, I'm not really familiar with Shonai, but that looks as good an attribution as any from pics I have seen. I did buy a 'shibuichi Kaga' tsuba from Bonhams about four years ago (pic attached, signed Kashu ju Katsukuni)) and the workmanship looks similar. It was evidently made of an unusual shibuichi alloy in that it was magnetic and had some rust spots. At least they did not describe it as shakudo! I agree with Dale, it looks too good to be Kinai. A bit like Ferrari using a Fiat as a model for their new car. thanks for your comments, John

Hey, thanks everyone for the reply’s! I have learned a lot from everyone’s input. This is really interesting learning how everyone looks at pieces. Really appreciate all your expertise! If I wanted to look into tsuba making history and learn what features identify quality tsuba’s any reading material that you might recommend? Appreciate the link to that thread @Spartancrest!

As a Newbie, what brought you to that conclusion? Genuinely curious

Mark, there is no clay application for the tempering (= YAKIMODOSHI). This is only done before hardening (= YAKIIRE). What you call "temper line" is in fact the hardening line (= HAMON). Generally, clay application is mostly done with one side of the blade at a time (there are videos on that on YouTube). In this case the HAMON may not be symmetrical on both sides. However, some smiths took great care in producing almost "mirrored" HAMON. Japanese nouns do not have a plural form, so it is always TANTO (not Tantos)

I would need to lookup the conversation again but as far as i can recall they were asuming this was made during the Shōwa period and sheep were already imported by that time > https://www.oldtokyo.com/sheep-grazing-in-the-shadow-of-ezo-fuji-hokkaido-c-1930/

Do not recall seeing this before either. Possibly a Japanese katakana NA with an Arabic 8? ナ８ = Katakana NA 8.

Curran, I had the same problem. I wrote to the and got the following reply in a matter of hours: Thank you so much for reaching out! We apologize for your inconvenience due to the shipping technical issue. It’s been fixed now. First, we would like to inform you that the complete companion translation and commentary on Nobuie will be published as a softcover volume including all the illustrations from the main text of the Nobuie book. If you are interested in, we suggest waiting until its release at the end of October ( no later than November 1), so that both can be shipped together. A link to purchase both will be provided to you when the translation is ready. If you have any questions, please contact us. We’ll be happy to assist you They fixed the list of countries in the address form. It seems also that waiting a few weeks will be better to have also the companion. I hope it helps. Regards Luca

You had the chance to handle the blade in Berlin.

You know, I wanted to say this and I find it a very plausible explanation. I want to change my guess now

Already reserved a couple of copies with the softcover English translation (due end of October). Indeed, don't want to miss out.

I was able to order thru the website - U.S. address - 8,800 yen for shipping - will have to wait and see for the tariff... ALso note they printed only 500 copies so expect this to be a hot item.

Yes, the second one is Aritsune. I owned this tsuba at one time..

Probably Mino, and late Muromachi

I dont see any. Prisoner number? Only assembly markings.

美乗 – Yoshinori/Mijo (reading?)

Don't worry, Steve. They started bustin' my chops, too, when I had been doing this for a few years and wasn't learning the names. I use the JSI page on names: Swowa Seki Smiths - Japaneseswordindex.com and Brian's index on the Home page. Using both, I got this one! After a while, you'll start recognizing some of the most commonly used kanji like Kane 兼 and Kuni 国 For those I can't recognize or remember, I scroll though the JSI page until I spot one.

Up for sale is a Type 95 NCO and a Type 32 both in original excellent condition TYPE 95 NCO £950 GBP TYPE 32 £650 GBP UK SALES AND DELIVERY ONLY Buyer to pay for shipping PLEASE READ IN DEPTH INFORMATION AND PHOTOS OF THE SWORDS You can also contact me at: dfxstudio@hotmail.com for a quicker response

Thanks for all the comments guys. Sorry for being so late in acknowledging them as I have been a bit busy with other things. Thanks Piers for pointing out that the NBTHK Hozon does state that it has a tsuchime-ji finish. My bad, I guess I am getting a bit lazy with my translations in my old age and missed those kanji and meant to translate them later. Good to hear that I am not the only one that thinks that the NBTHK shinsa is not perfect, I too have seen identical looking tsuba with different attributions. I just feel that these guys know more than me, so make fewer mistakes and I have so much to learn. I guess that mumei iron tsuba must be the hardest category to evaluate, especially as most of the artists are lost to history and were unrecorded. If only carbon-14 dating was cheap and readily available it would make dating easier, but then we would not want to drill samples out of our tsuba! Elemental analysis using XRF would also be a fascinating area for study to see if different schools had different amounts of trace elements in their iron. Sorry, its just the scientist in me getting carried away. Thanks again, John

It is excellent. It can be many things, but my feeling this is Oei to Bunmei Bizen. It kind of wants to be Saburo, but the groupings are too distinct, sort of Muromachi broad boshi... But this is great.

Thanks for the menpo ‘Hideshige’ Mei example, Uwe. Here is the map. I have a final printed version of this, but not here at the moment. See 1. the whole of Japan, then 2. the Kanto section and finally 3. the block of names attached to Tokyo/Musashi/ Bushū. Your smith is between the points of the caliper. PS 函人 ‘Kanjin’ is an old word for an armourer. Notice this unusual Kanji is used in the description 武陽函師 Buyo Kanshi master armourer, under the bell photo above. 1630 seems reasonable to me. 1. 2. 3.

Wow. That's a tough question. And while beauty is ultimately in the eye of the beholder, we all recognize certain aspects of mastery that we respond to. I would answer that by saying it’s an imperfect and complex, but harmonious balance of multiple aesthetic, technical and even spiritual elements. A truly great Nihonto should embody an artistic vision of form and function that raises it above a mere tool and sets it apart as an effort to harness the beauty of nature tamed or unleashed by the hand of man. It needs to embody depth, refinement, and presence that transcend craftsmanship alone. These qualities might vary from school to school, and sword to sword. For example. a great Soshu blade will exhibit different qualities than a great old Bizen sword. It some cases it’s the interplay of nie and nioi combined with a refined but vigorous hada. It also changes with shape and size. A tanto offers a different presence than a tachi where the aesthetics and balance of one does not translate to the other. For me, a great sword possess a serene nobility and a sense of a calm imbued with a coiled energy, a lethal elegance. It's a balance of contradictions. In fact, I think it will always be a contradiction because at its heart I think that is what the Japanese warrior aesthetic aimed for: beauty AND lethality. It’s funny as I am writing this, it’s clear that it’s hard to move away from fuzzy language and sometimes difficult to grasp, let alone articulate, concepts. We are moving into the realm of art philosophy. Ultimately, it’s like the SCOTUS definition of pornography: you’ll know it when you see it. And sometimes you can only recognize it by looking at a lot of it. LOL

It is easy when you are nearly as old as the tomes themselves! Still it's not the age, it's the mileage!

Thanks John Eric blocked me even though I bought over 10000 worth of swords from him so would have made an offer It’s been for sale a long time His loss I bought a acid etched Sukasada sword from his buddy Matt and took a 4000 loss I m the one who shouldn’t waste my time with him

Hopefully not. Maybe a stand alone topic to give it a good kicking?