Grey Doffin

Made yesterday in China. Franklin Mint is actually a tiny step up from this. Grey

Hi Jeff, A calendar for next year's shows in the US: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/calendar-and-news Grey

This doesn't look cast to me but it does look to be late, if not modern. Grey

Great Kinko. Grey

Made yesterday in China, I think. Grey

Hi Jeff, There is a correlation between price and paper but it is complicated. You might say, "All things being equal, a sword with Hozon will bring $X and a sword with Juyo will bring $3 to 5X" but all things are never equal. I could spend the whole evening writing what I think I know about price and paper, but i doubt it would help you much. Let me echo what others have been saying: don't be in a hurry to spend your money. The more you know about Nihonto before you buy one the happier you will be with the one you buy; guaranteed. There will always be great swords to buy. Take your time to learn about Nihonto, and all along us dealers will be treating you like a prince in hopes that you will come to us when the time arrives. Grey

Glad to Barry and sorry for having dropped the ball. The show was sparsely attended with maybe 20 dealers set up (I heard, don't know if this is true, that there were about 10 no-show dealers). There never was much of a crowd in the room but I managed to do quite well with business (way more than paid for the weekend). I had about 10 or 15 attendees for my care & etiquette talk, which is a good turnout. Later Saturday there were talks by Markus Sesko and Chris Bowen, put on by the local sword club, which I was unable to attend due to doing quite well with business (I heard good things about the talks) and a demonstration of Kudo (archery). Sunday at noon was the drawing for a raffle of a suit of armor, donated to support the local club by Sword Guy Joe, and won by a couple of handsome dudes who plan to take turns wearing it at shows. I had a great time and will be back if there's another next year (Larry Klahn told me the show dates were supposed to have been mid October but the hotel double booked his weekend; maybe better timing next year). By the way, Larry and crew did a wonderful job of running the show. Grey

Hi Chris, I know the seller. He wants you to contact him through ebay and arrange a sale outside of ebay. It is safe to do this with this seller. Grey

Hi Steve, The paper is scant fuel and it burns so quickly that nothing more substantial than paper in the vicinity catches fire. Grey

Noshu Ju Seki Kanetaka. Grey

Hi guys, I have just now finished lowering the prices of every piece in The Nara Collection on my website by 20%: bargains I think. Here's a link if you're interested. http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/NEW!--The-Nara-Collection Please, if you have questions or wish to purchase something, contact me by email from the site, not by personal message here. I need your emails to track my business. Thanks, Grey

Given the large jump in value that NCO swords have experienced in the last few years and given how relatively easy it is to copy something that is cast and milled without a lot of hand work involved, I think it is only a matter of time, and not much time at that, before the fakes are indistinguishable from the real thing. Grey

Hi guys, As I'm driving to this show I can take with me any of the books from my site. If you'll be at the show and there is one you'd like to see, even if you don't plan to buy it, I can lug it along. Contact me by email through the site: grey at japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com Grey

Thank you. Can anyone fill in that last Kanji on the right line (left picture)? Grey

I think a better explanation for the plant root appearance (I've never seen shinae that radiate out from a center) is faint spider rust that has been treated with uchiko. Spider rust is fairly common on Nihonto; it often looks like what we see here, spreading out from a center like a spider's web. Uchiko would be responsible for the white color. But, of course, I may be wrong. Grey

3. Yes; perfectly fine for drinking from. Grey

Hi guys, Again, hat in hand, asking for the Romanji of the matchlock (which will be for sale) mei below. I get Higashiyama Kane? something, and something shu ju something, but the rest is beyond my ability. Thanks, Grey

I don't know the mark (potter's signature) but this is a winter chawan (tea bowl. winter because the sides are straight up to keep the tea hot as opposed to more open to let it cool). Great find for $7; I recently found one at The Salvation Army shop for a couple $. Grey

Hi Jojo, Care & etiquette: http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Where are you located? Maybe someone nearby could help identify the sword better (in hand). Grey

A tsuba that Mariusz sold here, last year I believe. Fuji with many pines below. If you bought it and would like to sell, please let me know. Grey

Here are 3 from my website, if that helps. http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/search/node/sado Grey

I think this is an old (not new), hand made tsuba and the gold inlay was done when the tsuba was made. The work puts me in mind of Higo Rakuju but I don't think the quality is that high; maybe a superficial resemblance. This appears to be signed but now too faint for me to make anything out. And I am not an authority so I could be 100% wrong. Grey

Sword care and etiquette: http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Grey

Could it be that the former owner used soot to make a plastic tape oshigata? That's all I can think. BTW, never use soot to make an oshigata. Grey

Shoe polish was meant to convey phony patina. May not be boot polish but it certainly was done yesterday. As for the casting, I think there is a difference. There are some defects in the cast of your real sword but not in the mold it was cast into. With the fake at the top, both the casting and mold are quite crudely done. Grey