Anthony de Vos

Hello! Is this not just wonderful...Is it even possible to find for sale? http://www.arco-iris.com/George/yanone.htm Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello! Thank you for the quick reply! I thought so after looking in the sword smith index. There is a quite famous auction house in Sweden stating Awataguchi Yoshimitsu, having it out for auction, but states the wrong era Muromaci/momoyama for the smith I'm thinking of. Maybe there is a clue in the torokusho I enclosed? Regards, Anthony

Hello! Does this mei really read Awataguchi Yoshimitsu? Translation help needed. Gimei or have I found something nice? Regards, Anthony

Hello again! Thank you for your inputs everyone. It was very helpful in my decision to let it go. Regards, Anthony

Hello! There is not much of a story behind really. it is up for sale today. I have spoken with the auction house and they don't know the origin of the matchlock. it's rather long 1,65 meters. They think it's made in the 19:th or 20:eth century. Regards, Anthony

Hello! What do you think of the origin of this matchlock? Is it a Japanese teppo or from somewhere else. regards, Anthony de Vos Pictures; http://www.bukowskismarket.com/items/299534/images/1

Hello! I wonder why Jauce.com writes like that. I just bought a Kamakura blade, from Japan, and the seller, just as on privious occasions, do not have any problems to send the sword by EMS. Maybe the seller of my sword breake regulations? Or maybe Jauce.com don't want to bother with the red tape? Anthony de Vos Sweden

Hello! I'm buying armors and armor related stuff on a very regular basis on Yahoo, through jauce.com and never had any problems. I's the problems only related to nihonto? I seems to be able to put bids on nihonto as well. Regards, Anthony de Vos

Happy New Year! Best wishes for everyone greetings from Sweden Anthony de Vos

Hello Martin! I do apologise for the poor material. Since I haven't recieved the blade yet, I'm unable to provide better pictures as for now. Thanks for your suggestions regarding how to proceed in deciphering the kanjis on nagako and papers. Bye now, Anthony

Martin, regarding the test cutter I can follow the first 4 kanji that implies the tester you suggested, but i can't see that the rest seems to fit? Jean, I am slowly progressing on the row regarding the date,I find the era and year 1655, also the kanjis for month and day and also the figures 7 and 6. I find it difficult though that some kanjis have several different meanings. Anyhow I'm happy so far for all the help. Regards, Anthony

Hello Jacques! Considering your choice of smilies I hope my "stupidity" Didn't offend you to much. I'm probably ignorant regarding most subjects related to nihonto, the accurate general monetary evaluation one of them, but since I'm very satisfied with the purchase and only the thought of recieving it makes me very happy, it wasn't that stupid after all. Since the sword in your eyes are immensely overpriced I must also have made the seller very happy which then makes two of us being i good mood. Difficult to put a price on happines :D Bye the way Jacques, do you have any ideas on the translation regarding the cutting test, that would be much appriciated. Kind Regards, Anthony

Hello Jacques! Does your reply implying that I'm stupid paying 5600 Australian dollars? Regards, Anthony

Hello! Thank you John, Mark and Martin for the contributions. Since it's Izumi no Kami kaneshige could it been somewhat older than 1650 and maybe got damage, cut down and tested 1655? What about the test, 2 bodys but once or twice? And how? Great help thanks! Anthony

Hello Tobias! Thank you for your effort, eller ska jag säga tack, Tobias låter svenskt. Anthony

Hello! I just bought this sword; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/190597675907 ... 600wt_1185 I haven't recieved it as of yet. I'm trying to find out as much info as possible from the papers and inscriptions on the nagako. The sword is attributed to kaneshige. I don't seem to find the 2 kanjis representing kane+shige among those in the rows describing the smith on the papers. It would be helpful if someone could point out where they are. Also which one of all the kaneshiges would it be? When was the sword manufactured, by a Kaneshige long before or close to the testing time? Who performed, and where was the cutting test done in 1655? Greatful for any help Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello! For you interested in ebay bidding techniques this particular sword was sniped with Gixen, two server dubble snipe, 3 and 6 sekunds to go, what can I say, it worked. Anyone else than Ted and mark that have anything more on the kanji on the papers? Mark, the previous owner states that the sword is sureage. Which kaneshige does the papers suggest as the smith, the 1:st? How do the papers translate the cutting test? The previous owner states 2 body but also twice Regards, Anthony

Hello! I ended up buying the blade. I have great problems trying to translate the NBTHK papers, so any assistance would be appriciated, (that my be a request destined for the translation departement). I also seems to be unable to find the kanji for kanishige on the pictures from the nagako, so if anyone with better eyes can point me in the right direction.. Since I haven't recieved the sword yet I'm basically trying to get as much info as I can from the papers besides the recent history recieved from the previous owner. Regards, Anthony de Vos

Thank you Ian! I will try out the restaurant. Sometimes we walk the antique stores along New Spiegelstrraat, I'll try to find the tsuba store. Last year the Riijks museum was closed, we might have a try this year. Regards, Anthony

Hi Rich! Thanks for your recomendation! Me and my dutch wife always go there when we visit (and the coffe shops as well, so we don't need recommendations in that area) so we where thinking of something different this time Anyone else has a rekommendation, Nihonto/Katchu related; Museum? Store? Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello! I wonder if anyone have some recomendations regarding places worth visiting in Amsterdam related to Katchu/Nihonto? Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello again! Ian, I'm actually the one who, in the beginning of the thread, wrote; "My 2 previous armours are composite but this one looks like a full match or?" Following this discussion closely I guess I'm saved by the question mark So I'm the culprit regarding this statement that Mr Sinclair is refering to. As an complete amateur I must say that whoever changed, repaired or did what not to the armour, still tried to make the parts look like they belonged, this fools my untrined eye, but obviously not the expertese of Mr Sinclair and Mr Bottomley whom are very informative, thank you. Do you think the lacing generally is redone, I'm thinking, since you placed it around mid Edo? Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello! For those interested, all the photos are now uploaded on photobucket; http://photobucket.com/armour1 What level in Japanese samurai hierarcy would use an armour as this one? Construction time? Cost in those days? Use, battle or cermonial? I know it might be somewhat speculative, but I welcome all ideas. Is 52 a common number of tate hage-no-ita? 62 seems more common or? Anthony

Hello! For those interested, all the photos are now uploaded on photobucket; http://photobucket.com/armour1 What level in Japanese samurai hierarcy would use an armour as this one? Construction time? Cost in those days? Use, battle or cermonial? I know it might be somewhat speculative, but I welcome all ideas. Is 52 a common number of tate hage-no-ita? 62 seems more common or? Anthony

Hello, Thank you everyone that contribute to information regarding the armour. It is very helpful to me in trying to understand what I have. Regarding the kanji and mempo I enclose 2 pictures. I will try to follow Eric's advise to put the pictures on the net. The seller is a well known, sometimes critisized e-bay seller, the most active there. He had 3 sets of armour, costing quite a lot, for a long time. He started to lower the price recently, they are now all sold. I bought mine after direct negotiations with the seller and not through e-bay. From what you have told me so far, I'm very happy with the purchase, but to be truthful, I've been happy all along, since i bought the armour because I find it very beautiful. Anthony