Jump to content

Chris B.

Members
  • Posts

    12
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Chris B.'s Achievements

Apprentice

Apprentice (3/14)

  • First Post
  • Collaborator
  • Conversation Starter
  • Week One Done
  • One Month Later

Recent Badges

0

Reputation

  1. Members: Both Larry and myself would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of you who supported the show- there are simply too many to single people out...Suffice it to say that the success of the event was due to the support and assistance of so many..... We have been overwhelmed with the kind words and are thrilled with all the positive comments and feedback. I would like to make a few comments about the event: Show room: Despite having 8 no-show table holders, the addition of the lecture area and the displays gave the room a sense of fullness. Much to my surprise, we had over 400 general public participants come through the event over the three days. While the room never seemed crowded, there was a steady stream of attendance throughout. Our goal was to bring in a new crowd and though I had hoped for an even larger crowd, I think this was a good start... Lectures: I received many positive comments from the attendees about the lectures. While I was unable to attend any of them, I attribute the great feedback to the knowledge and enthusiasm of those presenting. A huge thanks to them.... Displays: We had a display of zen art and calligraphy which was very lightly attended. Lesson learned: if people have to wander too far from the show room, they won't... Sword Exhibit: The shinshinto display was, in my humble opinion, very good. While the likes of Kiyomaro, Masahide, and that top shelf were not in attendance, the sheer quality of what was displayed amply made the point that high quality swords have been produced in all periods, and that excellent blades were made by smiths other than Kiyomaro, et. al. The lecture given on the blades by Miyano Sensei, head shinsa'in and NTHK president, stressed that the quality and value of a blade needs to be judged on a blade by blade basis and that we should not dismiss a blade out of hand because of period or maker. His comment that many of these blades were "juyo token" in his estimation was heartily received. Shinsa: While I have no doubt that there were people disappointed with the opinions they received, the overwhelming positive feedback was proof positive that this team knows what they are doing. Rather than ram through 200 blades a day, the team took their time and gave those that submitted their money's worth. What may have been confusing to some people was the fact that they did not issue a pink paper for those items which failed shinsa, rather they simply gave out the usual white worksheet without any points listed. This didn't mean that they did not fail any blades, they simply indicated the failure in a different fashion. The overall quality level of blades submitted to this shinsa was higher than those in the past. Hopefully this is an indication of the increased sophistication of collectors in the West. Hotel Staff and Accomodations: There were initial difficulties with the room reservation system however the staff showed great flexibility and a willingness to please that made them wonderful to work with. The rooms, exhibit space, and amenities were without fault. Personally, I thought the morning coffee, donuts and cookies were great! Overall summary: The overall success of the event means that the odds are great that we will be doing this again in the not too distant future.... Again, a huge thank you to all who attended, contributed, and helped! -- Sincerely, Chris Bowen swords@ejapaneseswords.com **For fine Japanese swords, made to order new swords, and restoration services, visit: http://www.ejapaneseswords.com **************************************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, to the token_kenkyu_kai discussion list, send the following message to: SUBSCRIBE TOKEN_KENKYU_KAI your email address or UNSUBSCRIBE TOKEN_KENKYU_KAI your email address To submit a message to the list, send to: Archives, digests, and your list preferences can be accessed by creating an account and logging in at: https://lists.umbc.edu/lists/info/token_kenkyu_kai ****************************************************************
  2. I wanted to pass along the lecture schedule for the June 15-17 sword show and shinsa event scheduled to take place at the Holiday Inn Select in Bloomington, Mn. Please find this below. I would also like to mention that we still have tables and shinsa spots available and would encourage anyone interested to contact Larry Klahn (lklahn@aol.com) to make reservations. Further info can be found on-line at: http://www.ejapaneseswords.com/Arts_and ... murai.html I am very excited about the event and believe it will be both interesting and educational....Hope to see you there! Lecture Schedule: Friday 6/15 Kimono 2:00pm Japanese Calligraphy 3:00pm Tsukamaki 4:00pm (tentatively) Sat 6/17 Sword Etiquette 10:00am Bonsai 11:00am Ikebana 1:00pm Yamaoka Tesshu and Zen 2:00pm Tatara and Steel Making 3:00pm Sword Exhibit Lecture 4:30pm Sun 6/18 Tea Ceremony 11:00am Thank you, Chris Bowen swords@ejapaneseswords.com
  3. The June 15-17 "Arts and Arms of the Samurai" Show and Shinsa is quickly approaching. Tables and shinsa spots are still available. Contact Larry Klahn at lklahn@aol.com for reservation info. Info on the event can be found here: http://www.ejapaneseswords.com/Arts_and ... murai.html Here is a quick update of the scheduled exhibits, demos, and lectures. Clearly, a great opportunity to learn and experience the Japanese sword in its cultural context....Hope to see you there! Event Schedule The schedule of events is almost finalized. Tentatively, we plan to have the following events, demonstrations, lectures, exhibits, and seminars: Shinsa- sword and sword fittings appraisal by a team of experts from Japan. (see details on the Shinsa page) Large vendor area where vendors will have swords, Japanese antiques, pottery, calligraphy, kimono, books, and the like for sale to the pubic. Demonstrations of tsuka-maki (handle wrapping) and Japanese swordsmanship. Exhibits of Shinshin-to swords, Tsuba, pottery (sake utensils), zen calligraphy (sword related people (Tesshu, Nantenbo, Togo, Araki Sadao, Toyama Mitsuru, Uchida Ryohei, Nakayama Hakudo, etc.), Ikebana (flower arrangements), and Bonsai. Lectures on sword polishing appraisal, sword flaws, and sword judging are scheduled. Special lectures will be held by experts on: "Sa-do: Way of Tea" "Ikebana: The Art of Flower Arrangment" "Bonsai Fundamentals" "Yamaoka Tesshu and Zen" "Tatara: Traditional Japanese Steel Making" There will be a seminar on bonsai fundamentals with open enrollment. See http://www.gabelhouse.com/bonsai-workshop.htm for sign-up information... Several other lectures and exhibits are currently in the planning stages. For further information, please contact the Midwest Token Kenkyu Kai through either of the following individuals: Larry Klahn 123 S. 6th St. La Crosse, WI 54601 608-784-9900 lklahn@aol.com Chris Bowen PO Box 99 Mt. Hope, WI 53816 608-994-2538 swords@ejapaneseswords.com
  4. Some numbers for this discussion: The NBTHK Hozon/Tokubetsu Hozon shinsa looks at 1000+ swords on average every other month when they hold their shinsa. The NTHK-NPO (coming to Minneapolis in June) looks at 50+ on average per month, though the average has been nearly double this the last 6 months or so. The NTHK-Yoshikawa, based on what was published in their journal before they stopped publishing the shinsa results a few years ago, was 10 or so blades per month. At previous US shinsa, the NTHK under Yoshikawa Kentaro looked at 400-500 items each shinsa. I have no idea how many items the NTHK-Yoshikawa is putting through their shinsa in the US. While the NTHK under Yoshikawa Kentaro came to the US roughly once every 6-8 years, the NTHK-Yoshikawa group is coming every year of late. The NTHK-NPO capped its intake at the last shinsa in the US at 140 items per day. This will be lowered to about 80 items per day in Minneapolis for just the reasons mentioned above- it is too easy to make mistakes when rushed. These figures are a few years old but still relevent I believe. Chris
  5. I can help answer your questions. I know several smiths personally, and have ordered dozens of shinsakuto for both myself and others. See my web site for details... ejapaneseswords.com Chris
  6. The shinsa group mentioned above is the Yoshikawa NTHK shinsa team, which is coming to Chicago in April, NOT, repeat NOT, the NTHK-NPO shinsa team coming to Minneapolis this June.... Thanks, Chris
  7. I thought I would add a bit to this discussion in an effort to help people understand a bit more clearly exactly what the event in Minneapolis is all about.... We are hoping to provide an event rich in educational content that will help increase the understanding of the Japanese sword by placing it in its cultural context. Also, we hope that by offering a few lectures on topics like traditional Japanese steel making, how to appreciate a polish, etc., that people will go home with added knowledge and more than just memories of another show that blurs into all those other shows they have attended. Also, we are indeed reaching out to people in other hobbies and areas of interest which are tangentially related. Pottery, calligraphy, bonsai, kimono, Japanese antiques, etc., will all be represented. We feel that this is a good way to get new people, fresh blood, etc., into the hobby. Rest assured, there will be many familiar faces and old hands, but there will also be many new faces and opportunities to cross-pollinate...Many people I have heard from are a bit tired of the same old sword show where the same group of people show up, sit around, and bs amongst themselves. I can't tell you how many times I have heard recently, "we need new blood!", and "this hobby is dying"...Well, we are trying something new...by the response we have gotten so far, it would seem that it is a step in the right direction. We would encourage all with a stake in the future of this hobby to attend...We appreciate the support. As to the shinsa, I can only say this about the NTHK-NPO group coming to Minneapolis: they are the most experienced shinsa team outside of the NBTHK. Last I heard, they are getting 100+ swords per month for shinsa in Japan, which is again, second only to the NBTHK. The fee is $100 higher, not double (for items that pass). This is a result of costs on our end. I would add that this is still much less than sending a sword to Japan for shinsa, and I believe, based on the team's experience and expertise, it is a good value. You do get what you pay for...Talk to people who have submitted to the recent Yoshikawa NTHK shinsas and ask them their impressions/recommendation. If you talk to enough of them, I think they will answer this question for you.... Anyone with any questions, please feel free to contact either myself at swords@ejapaneseswords.com or Larry Klahn at lklahn@aol.com Thank you for your interest....
  8. Thanks for your suggestion....I have made the change.... Quick update: Things are moving quickly....We are planning to have a tsukamaki workshop, a bonsai workshop, and other things are in the works...Several lectures are in the planning stage, including one on Japanese Zen-ga, Appreciation of Polishing, and Japanese Traditional Steel Making....others in the works... Tables and shinsa reservations are moving quickly...I would recommend getting your reservations in quickly to assure a spot as these things tend to sell out... We are excited by the way things are shaping up and hope to see everyone there... Any questions, please contact me at swords@ejapaneseswords.com Thanks, Chris Bowen
  9. Here is the new web site for the upcoming Arts and Arms of the Samurai show and shinsa: http://www.ejapaneseswords.com/Arts_and ... murai.html A quick recap of the events, demos, exhibits, etc., that may be of interest is as follows: Display of Important Swords -hope to have a themed exhibit-working on the details now. Display of Tsuba -themed exhibit Display of Zen calligraphy - by famous people associated with the sword to include: Yamaoka Tesshu, Nakahara Nantenbo, Admiral Togo, General Araki Sadao, Toyama Mitsuru, Uchida Ryohei, Nakayama Hakudo, and several other Army and Navy Officers. Display of Pottery -sake utensils from Bizen, Shiga, Iga, Tanba, etc. Display of Kimono -details to follow Seminar on Bonsai Lectures to include: Sword Flaws Appraising a Sword Polish for Quality Kantei Fundamentals others in the works as well.... Demonstrations: Polishing Saya making Habaki making others in the works... We appreciate all the support and feedback we have received and look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible. Sincerely, Chris Bowen swords@ejapaneseswords.com For Information on the Japanese Cultural Event, including the sword show and NTHK-NPO Shinsa, "Arts and Arms of the Samurai", see: http://www.ejapaneswords.com/Arts_and_A ... murai.html
  10. Thank you for the kind words of encouragement. We have already received considerable replies and inquiries pointing towards a well received event... We are indeed planning a paradigm shift in that this show will offer a whole palette of interesting displays, lectures, and educational opportunities all drawing attention to the cultural context from which the Japanese sword springs...Hopefully this will lead to a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the sword in particular, and Japanese culture in general... Hope you can make it! Feel free to spread the word... Chris
  11. Here is a rough draft of the press release which will be going out in the next few days. As you can see, what we are planning is a bit different from the usual "sword show". Having been to a few of late that were a bit on the sloooooow side, we have decided to add to the mix- along with the shinsa, we are planning to have Japanese antique dealers, kimono dealers, pottery, calligraphy, maybe bonsai, flower arranging, etc., in an effort to educate, stimulate, and cross-pollinate! We are also going to set up a tour from Japan to try and get more participation from the Japanese, as well as advertise extensively to increase participation. We would like to see some new blood at these shows and this is our attempt at trying something new... Hope to see you there! ************************************************************ "The Arts and Arms of the Samurai" We are pleased to announce a major international Japanese cultural event scheduled to take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 15, 16, and 17, 2007. The event will be held at the newly renovated Holiday Inn near the Mall of America and the airport. The event, sponsored by the Midwest Token Kenkyu Kai, will promote the arts and arms of the samurai, featuring displays of Japanese samurai swords, traditional Japanese pottery, calligraphy, kimono, and other related items. In addition to the displays there will be several informative lectures by recognized experts on a variety of topics, as well as demonstrations of various traditional arts and crafts by Japanese master craftsman. Information is available on the web at http://www.ejapaneseswords.com/Arts_and ... murai.html There will be a large showroom where dealers will provide swords, Japanese antiques, zen calligraphy, and like items for sale to the general public. A special feature of the event will be the shinsa, or appraisal, of Japanese swords by experts brought from Japan from the non-profit Nihon Token Hozon Kai, Japan's oldest Japanese sword collector's association. The shinsa will require advanced reservations and deposit. Contact the parties below for further information. Daily admission, a three day pass, and a special admission for dealers reserving tables will be available. This event will be advertised in Japan where a special tour will be offered to Japanese participants. It will also be heavily promoted in the Japanese communities in major US cities and in the regional newsletters and press of clubs and societies sharing common interests. The event will heavily advertised in all major local media outlets where it is hoped that it will generate considerable interest. For further information on the shinsa, sales space rental, or other general questions, please contact the Midwest Token Kenkyu Kai through either of the following individuals, or view the web site at: http://www.ejapaneseswords.com/Arts_and ... murai.html Larry Klahn 123 S. 6th St. La Crosse, WI 54601 608-784-9900 lklahn@aol.com Chris Bowen PO Box 99 Mt. Hope, WI 53816 608-994-2538 swords@ejapaneseswords.com ************************************************************
×
×
  • Create New...