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Hi Neil good luck at Bob's , please give Bob my regards . Ray

Hi neil sorry nothing to add about your sword , chinese - 150% for sure. There was a shop that sold Japanese swords and books in Orlando, the owner is Bob Elder not sure if he still buys and sells swords, the shop was called East Coast Martial arts on East Colonel drive i think. it may be of some help ! ray

Hi Mariuszk sorry could not help myself is it morse code ray

Hi Ford Just ask "Les" to pop over and have look at the tsuba i'm sure he has seen most of there tsuba and sword collection in the past, he only lives 5/6 miles away All the best Ray

I just hope and pray it does not get any worse than it already is. I just hope all my Japanese friends and family are safe and my friends from the UK that live and work in Japan. ray

Hi Barry see what you have started, here is one of mine. is it a rabbit or a hare !! regards ray

Hi Ford Oustanding work love the video clips. more please. Best Regards ray

Dirk no help with Soten debate, but your comments re odd hole for a sword, any time i have seen this, it was because the sword had a set Hi running through both sides of the tang !! just my two pence worth ray

Sorry $1.00 !! IMHO ray

HI All late post on the unusual Menkui theme ! Crab Menuki regards Ray

Roy I have already posted I think we both need go to speck savers old bean. If you look back a couple of posts you will see the Ivory tsuka and a few pics I had on file. Here are a few more pics, had to open a new post, too many to add to the last post hope you don't mind Brian re bandwidth etc. Had a re - count Roy there are 10 dragons in total including the two small coiling dragons that are in the menuki position. Does anyone know if there is any significance in the 10 dragons or was it just the carvers whim ? Best regards Ray

Hi Roy some pics of my ivory tachi mounts. I had these on file, i will try and get some better one's sorry about the pic quality. from memory there are at least 7 or 8 Dragons over the whole sword not top quality carving but IMHO very very good. Can any body make out the soshu style kanji in the Mei on the tsuka, help please ps,STUNNING tanto carving as you say Roy Ray

Hi Roy nice to see you on the Message Board it was only a Ko Mino copy because you know who wanted it But it still has a Iron body Treasures don't know what you mean regards ray

Hi Roy just a comment, this tsuba is iron is it not ! regards ray

Hi Baz Your "cup" looks like a chinese brush pot. regards ray

Hi Steven You were correct , its pair of the shoulder protectors from a set of Japanese armour. I think from memory they are called "Sode" regards ray

Benvk Sorry but IMHO $1800 for a showato seems very top heavy to me. ok - It has the look of civillian type mount, but at the end of the day it's a showato no matter what way you look at it. And if you decide to get it polished ! then you want to trade up I think you would struggle to get out of the deal, unless there was some sort of part exchange deal. just my 10 pence worth . It may be just because i'm scottish best regards Ray

Hi james Do yourself a big favour and pass on this one. have a good look, the Hagire are nearly through the hamon, they are not hard to find look at the last couple of pics. regards ray

Entertaining : O Dear ray

Jason IMHO so badly rusted i would have passed on this one. sorry ray

Hi Joe Is it a koto blade . at this point in time i agree with Peter's statement better to have it checked first. all the best Ray

Hi Jon Nothing unique with this tsuka, it is not always same that is under the wrap . if you are asking ! is it Japanese, you would need to show more pics just to be sure. the saya looks ok, the tsuka looks ok, I do not like the look of the tang i.e. the colours and the hammer marks !but that could just be the lighting in the photo. regards ray

I think Ted has hit the nail right on the head ray

Hi could it also read -- Kojima Kunihide ?? ray

Hi As Grey says, its brand new , give this one a miss. ray