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Alex A

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Everything posted by Alex A

  1. Recently listened to The book of 5 rings and Hagakure, again via youtube. Musashi talks quite a bit about sword length. The other book, he mentions folks buying swords from pawn shops Worth a listen. info direct from the Samurai.
  2. Its a good point on our behalf but when you look at the various issues over the years, i just see shipping expensive antique swords as an headache they can do without. Even im now thinking shipping expensive swords with such couriers is a disaster waiting to happen. Just feels crazy putting a sword worth thousands in their hands and hoping for the best. Expensive, but there are more secure ways. That means the buyer has to travel to the airport to pick it up and sort out customs. sounds a pain but your cutting out the dodgy shipping firms, some of which dont even offer insurance for antiques. Thats now an hassle i would be willng to take as a safer option Most folks are lazy though, so doubt it would be a popular option, one day maybe the only option. For an extra fee, an handler will do the running about for you
  3. Think with one thing and another folks are eventually going to get pushed into using specialist handlers.
  4. The Chicken Kake is very nice Yves. Sure you will find something suitable, Not looked around for these for a long time but good ones used to turn up quite regularly. Very hard to date Ps, was looking over these 3 MODERN on Aoi. Condition is obviously one thing to consider. The other things that may differentiate from real old Kake is the elaborate designs, but what do i know. https://www.aoijapan...m/sword-stand-ittei/ https://www.aoijapan...m/sword-stand-oukyo/ https://www.aoijapan...d-furodo-ryuya-saku/
  5. As for lacquered Kake, you would need to be educated on the artwork "style" to try and date them. Was curious and think you could learn a lot more from books and studying other Japanese items of the era. Anyways "Most Japanese lacquerware shares similar styles, motifs and forms regardless of its date of manufacture. This can make date attribution difficult. Edo and Meiji era (pre-1912) Japanese lacquerware designs often have a slightly stiffer and more formal appearance, even when portraying naturalistic scenes. However, by the time of the Taisho and Showa eras (1912 onwards), decoration becomes very subtlety looser and freer in execution due to Western artistic influence. Another dating hint is when a distinctly non-Japanese artistic style is employed. For example, Art Deco design elements would suggest an early 20th century origin. Japanese lacquerware was also produced in different forms over the decades. For example, incense boxes and Inro (a Japanese wallet for use with kimonos) are indicative of Edo or Meiji era 19th century lacquer-work. While still notoriously tough to date, all of these clues used together can help to properly attribute Japanese lacquerware." https://www.antiques...apanese-lacquerware/
  6. Not studied this smith or hit the books but cant help but wonder if Tom D had a point about the boshi needing to be Ko-maru But then i think, surely with the exceptions the rules rule, this might have been a rare exception. Got be some reason they didn't pass it. Piers, bet your sick of this thread , no wonder its turned to motors
  7. Also, If your interested in the sword, contact him outside of Ebay and maybe a chance you will get a better price
  8. Did they give a reason Piers?
  9. If you like Suguha and Ko-itame Check out Hizen Tadayoshi High ranking smith, seen SIGNED TOKUBETSU HOZEN waks for the similar price to that tanto And, yes, the fact it is not signed will eventually bug you.
  10. Why on earth would you spend that kind of money on this mumei tanto? Look through the well known Japanese sites Ps, if you cant distinguish between quality, dont buy anything until you can You will regret it.
  11. Just to mention. Some modern oils use a rust inhibitor, may help Such as Parker Hale express plus many other modern oils Plus what John said. Don't know about anyone else but in winter here i see variation in the home from 12 degrees to 22 degrees C.
  12. What oil are you using? Also, need see it
  13. Aye, is a good place to shop. I have wondered why this blade don't have NBTHK Possibly, the mei may have presented a quandary.
  14. That was my point, but from ive been seeing over the last few years, they no longer have to be the best, special, rare, whatever. Its a mixed bag.
  15. Has this actually happened?, sounds like a proper conundrum
  16. Good knowledge Kirill and interesting to read, thanks.
  17. Hi Piers I always thought rare or as you point out "historical importance" was part of the TH deal that differentiated them from Hozen, maybe its something i just convinced myself over those years lol Did own what could be described an average made blade, late Muromachi. That had TH because it was rare, hence my thinking. Now we are seeing TH blades going relatively cheap, where they used to be the higher end.
  18. It would be interesting to get a point of view from one of the Japanese dealers on the subject, again Seeing it from the point of view of NBTHK or whoever. It must be a real headache a lot of the time, with the numbers submitted and blades where they split hairs over moving up to the next level, what we might describe as "average", putting it simply. On top of that no doubt they feel pressure from dealers but lets not forget its a paid job. I've always linked TH with the words "Especially Worthy of Preservation". Repeating myself as usual, but that used to be clear, now feels like a muddled mess. Well, we all know Hozen will do just fine anyways, i guess. For folks that may be thinking focus on the blade and too much emphasis on the papers. Educated Folks are able to buy a sword with the knowledge they have but try selling an expensive sword with only that opinion.
  19. No disrespect Brian but not good advice. Ben is right to question all the information presented. Even if it has NBTHK paper, question that too. Though as Ben probably knows, better to do all this BEFORE a purchase in future. Question everything.
  20. Jussi, your data colleting abilities never cease to amaze me, thanks.
  21. I remember looking over sites (as mentioned) years ago and looking at TH blades. Back then i could work out why they were TH, they seemed to stand out for one reason or another. Even the TH blades ( to be honest) that were not by top notch smiths and of average quality seemed to have something about them, such as being rare or stood out for one reason or another. Nowadays I'm left wondering by a lot out there. Maybe i need to take off the rose tinted spectacles, i don't know.
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