Brian

I would agree. From the Field Museum book: (online at http://www.archive.org/details/japaneseswordmou16guns) Brian

Hi all, Since the auction is over now, I have deleted the subsequent replies. For those who may have had a concern, I just want to note that I do have 4 megs of pics from Steve showing his yari and that it is the same one. Just think this is a good policy to follow here. For anyone posting fraud on an item that they or a friend currently owns, please attach or email a pic showing the item with some identifiable object to show it is not owned by the seller. An example would be the item or papers with something like a coin on it (to show it is a custom taken pic) that the seller wouldn't have access to. Just wanted to reassure anyone who was following this. Regards, Brian

Just a gentle nudge to keep this Nihonto related, and not veer off too far into the manufacture of modern replicas. The ones made by Yoshindo Yoshihara are fine..but the forging of modern hybrids by Western makers is a topic for one of the bladesmith forums. Just trying to keep this strictly Nihonto related, even if it is interesting. Thanks, Brian

Thank you Jean-Luc. Making the pics 800 px or less wide just allows them to show directly instead of converting to a link. In my experience, this gets more views as a lot of people don't click links to view. Pics can indeed be bigger, but I think more views is preferable to huge pics that don't get seen The size of the tsuba will help the "tsuba guys" on this one with their comments. It needs work (best left to a professional) but let's see what the others say before deciding on any action. Regards, Brian

JLM, Please sign each post with a first name for convenience. I would also ask you to resize each pic and if there are very many, please use an external host if possible. I had to edit each pic here as the originals are huge and the filesize is way too big. Please re-upload the pic of the signature in a smaller size. Let's keep this thread for tosogu and if you need info on the blade you can post in the Nihonto section. Can you provide some measurements on that geometric shaped tsuba? Thanks, Brian

Henry, Not really personal experience at all, but this article by Guido is well worth a read. Further down there is an urushi section under saya refinishing: http://www2.una.edu/takeuchi/DrT_Jpn_Cu ... 5B3%5D.htm Also, check out this thread: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2621 and download the file I uploaded in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2251 Regards, Brian PS - Buy the koshirae! I can tell you want it. :D

Greg, The name rang a bell. Now I remember it..from SFI? Welcome, great to have you here! Brian

Hi Franco, I know it looks like a kogatana at first glance, but from what i can see, it is one of those short WW2 personal tanto taken to war. Often with some inscription that doesn't relate in any way to who made it, and more for patriotic effect. If we see the whole pic, I bet it is one of those. Brian

Henry, I don't know too much about urushi and saya repair, but I think that relacquering is a very difficult and labour intensive process. If yours is peeling, then they would need to remove either all of the original finish, or most of the areas around the cracking. Then I think there is a paste/clay/paper applied and then you start with the layers of urushi. The layers can go up to 50 layers on the best finishes. There must be guys who do it there. Hopefully someone can give you some contacts to try. Pity Jon Bowhay just moved away from Japan. Brian

Thanks Mike. Carlo has also donated 2 very nice catalogs from the Stibbert museum to add to the list. I will start getting the raffle organised in the next few days. I do ask if any has anything nice that they can spare at all, please let me know via pm or email or here, as the success of the raffle depends greatly on the kindness of the members here. It looks like I may have to purchase something in Japan, as I would like to have a few top prizes to entice everyone to purchase tickets. Regards, Brian

I second that. Great to deal with, and the cotton ito prices are very fair indeed. They have great reputations here on the NMB, have dealt with them numerous times. Brian

This section of the forum is for the discussion of items, sales and sellers that are online, whether they be on eBay or on other sites. Please note that this is not the section to announce your own items that you are selling off eBay/auction etc. Please use this section to address items or sellers that are on eBay/auction or listed elsewhere, that do not have a fixed price etc. Discussion of current items is permitted as long as they are within reason and not intended purely to raise or lower prices, or influence the outcome of a sale. Please keep discussion within educational boundaries. Discussions should not revolve purely around the pricing of an item, but should be about the item itself. This is a touchy subject and one that most forums do not allow for obvious reasons, so some discussions may be removed if they cross certain boundaries or cross a line. Please use common sense when posting here, and understand that discussions will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. It an be a very useful section as long as we don't cross the line. Remember that if you are merely pointing out new listings or items for sale in eBay or on a different website, then it belongs in this section and please don't abuse that privilege either with 10 different announcements at a time. Items in the For Sale section require a price and are sold directly to members. If you are just pointing to your eBay listings or an upcoming auction or website sale, then this is the correct section. But bear in mind that posting here means that the items are up for discussion and comment, unlike the For Sale Section. Brian

Thanks for bringing the thread back on track Rich. We all know this forum allows a little more leeway in going off topic and having fun, but within limits folks. One or 2 funnies, but then back to the topic plz. I wonder if these were originally made as copies of Nobuie, or were later recognised as being potentials for fakes, and had the mei added later? What is the general consensus on these types of tsuba? Brian

Oh no...Pete found a way to work in the nun pic again! It's a bad habit! Brian

Henk, How about clarifying that statement with a reason? Auction ended 2 weeks ago, so it's a moot point, but looks like a Gendaito to me. Hamon doesn't look oil quenched either, and I think this seller knows the difference. Brian

That brings up a question from me.. During the warring periods, there was a need to urgently arm soldiers, and therefore not enough time and care was taken in manufacturing swords, leading to most of the kazuuchi mono. I think the steady decline in quality among many smiths was purely due to this mass production. Most of those primary arms would have been uchigatana, yari, wakizashi etc. Which brings me to my question. Tanto aren't a main battle weapon (kamakura era paired with tachi aside) so would there really have been a mass market or them, and would there really be so many kazuuchi mono in tanto? I can't see smiths mass producing tanto to arm the troops, and would have thought that tanto remained made in lesser quantities and maybe for special order. Are there really so many kazuuchi-mono tanto, or am I missing something in my thinking here? Brian

Markus, don't be sorry for helping out. If that was the case, I wish more people would "poke their noses into everything" :D Thanks, Brian

Just to clarify.. Milt started his post with "My dear Froggie..." which I deleted. Of course Milt and Jean are friends enough that it isn't a concern at all, but for the other French members or readers, it was courtesy on my part as they may not know the background, and may not feel the same way about the term. So the dig is at me..but I can live with that :D Brian

Thanks for the clarification Richard, even if it was just me jumping to confusions somehow Glad to hear it, and I am still trying to work out where I got that wierd idea. Sorry for the mistake. So...as per the original question. Who is George?? Brian

Wow...I had always thought that the Arco-iris website was by RKG, but I think I may have been way off track. Good grief Thanks for the clarification. In that case, I have no idea who "George' is and would definitely like to know more about this issue.

George is Richard KG (rkg here on the forum) (Edit to add: no it is not. Completely my mistake - Brian) He specialises in Nihonto photography and posts here. I have however confirmed that Tetsugendo is unaware of the pics there, so I hope George can clarify for us. Brian

I concur. Joakim, I think you know about all we can find out about this smith for now. If someone finds better info, they can pm me and I'll add it. I can't see this thread going anywhere good, so enjoy the blade Joakim, and time to save up lots of money for the next one. Brian

I found a link, but see you got there before me :lol: http://www.nst.com.my/svcs/forums/fcFor ... 0245785884 They should hopefully have some answers for you, but it really doesn't look good. Brian

Yep..I think themed collections are a great way to go. I have often been very tempted to go the shishi route, but then I see some other theme that grabs me, and I am too tempted. Dragons would be a great and fairly easy one. We already have a Daruma guy. We have also seen the great horses theme here, and there are so many more. In every theme, there are the top schools too, so the quality is there if you can afford it. Very tempting Great looking collection Ken. (Hmm...with that name, you should be looking at the dragon and ken theme :lol: ) Brian

Martin, I'm no good at it either :lol: However the first place I would go to, if given this one would be http://www.nihontokanjipages.com/kanji_for_tsuba.html followed by http://www.nihontokanjipages.com/kanji_for_tosogu.html Regards, Brian