Fuuten

That is actually very cool! Thanks for sharing. Only about 10 minutes in but the editing and audio is great.

Cherry bark tea caddy with a scoop. These scoops are generally for "sencha" green tea. As this one has a extra lid/stopper in between it is preferable to one that doesn't. Less oxygen in storage = longer shelf life. Can't help with the kanji or stamp but an added box is a plus. Here's a link to some more information on these kinds of items, will also give you an idea on pricing. https://www.artisticnippon.com/product/teacaddy/teacaddy.html

Hello, While browsing a little i stumbled on the following page with many items shows with description & photography of the Tachibana family collection. Not too many swords (which is why I'll post it here instead of the general subforum), but many other items (ceramics for example), which are pretty cool as well. All in all i think they did a great job with details, descriptions and photo's of everything that is shown. https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/tachibana-museum?hl=en

From what I recall when it comes to specifics. Kinsuji are chikei that run through the hamon where sunagashi are not. Therefore I think they could theoretically have an identical shape(?). Waiting to be corrected. 3. From http://sho-shin.com/glossary.htm INAZUMA "Flashes of Lightning." Like KINSUJI but arcing in JI from the YAKIBA. 4 I don't know, it's not in this glossary. Happy new year!

The language barrier is a hurdle, as well as import costs or extra taxes slapped on, otherwise I would decide based on the sword not on where the seller is located. I think it's most important to read up and take the time to decide. Less of a hurry equals a better choice. Best thing is what he did already (asking here).

However I think Japan is an exception when it comes to governmental recognition of traditional arts & crafts.. not withstanding that it is probably true.

10k should get you a very nice wakizashi with tokubetsu hozon papers or perhaps a katana. Nice budget for a present really. Are you in much of a hurry? The sale section here often has great deals. On the page you mentioned I failed to see the moto & sakihaba which makes me wonder why such a slacking description. I haven't done any business there so I don't know. I think for actual (down the line), appreciation or the sparking of something, I would personally opt for something like this (I was looking at this sword a couple of weeks ago): http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/A15827_S5006_PUP_E.html I have bought from Sanmei and I was very pleased with comm. Price, all round dealings there. I would vouch for Yuji at Sanmei/Tokugawa art. I would advise to take your time.

I always found the type on the right (referred to as lobster shaped (right?)), to be quite aesthetically pleasing. Sorry I can't copy the above to add to previous post on phone..

It kind of looks like a Kenyan weapen used to defend against lions. After quick search I learned it's called a 'rungu'. https://bit.ly/2WDFw3M Quite clearly not really was OP's saya was based on but in shape with the small point on the buttend it is really quite similar. In any case I think it's a simply shaped to make the saya a weapon on its own. I forgot to post the above and photograph the object downstairs yesterday... I'll post now and add the picture when I have it.

Wow what a great example, the kogai & kogatana are positively stunning!

Just imagine its claws hidden by plumage.

I was going with simplified birds with connections to give it (some), structural integrity, but now I just see owls😄 Lovely tsuba.

Nice thread! Gorgeous habaki, the smoothness of the recesses reminds me a little of those Natsuo wave menuki darcy had listed. Any mesurements for the chokuto by any chance? The blade surprises me, the straight angled nakago is mirrored of what one would expect aside of being straight/no sori. Think the tang looked different due to erosion to the point it's shaped like this now? IRT: Dave, was it one of the 'Ulfberht'?, I've always wanted to see one up close.

Not to derail the thread but is that a tetsubin on the furnace? Would love a shot of that as well.

Now the links in the opening post work👍

For some reason the links don't work for me. tried the first three. Could be a https issue.

Just wow, very nice fittings and netsuke too.

That's a gorgeous tsuba Kyle, mind showing the other side? Very cool snowflake crystals too.

Personally I can't ID the signsture you showed in the opening post. You could check out some of the bonham or christies sales catalogues as they frequently have inro with signatures and the artists listed together. I think I saw one such catalogue last week (if I can recover the link I'll add it later). The value of inro goes up exponentially with its age and condition. Old ones are rarely flawless and thus condition being too good often means it's relatively young. Edit: for what it's worth, the inro with the lobster and gold lacquer has a coral cord binder, which I think adds to the sea creature design. The red sphere in between the inro and netsuke. Of course I can't be sure of the material from photos alone but it sure looks like red coral.

Now it would be funny to see that one mounted😅

I must say though that as far as the signature of the other one you posted is much more beautiful to my eyes. The large hefty indentations (maybe a better word for them would be carvings), don't add to the tang artistically.

The inlays seem so large and can't put my finger on the specific thing or variable that makes them look 'boring' - that's not it but they appear so large and unsightly to me they just look like a bad imitation of what such inlay can be or is supposed to be. Also the dots that are 'missing' they just look like they were added to give that effect. I'm wondering whether Ford would lean towards a novice metalworker's work or just outright fake, albeit perhaps better executed than some cast of handworked imitation.. Now please don't take the above personal because this is just how it appears to me at this moment in time and I'm not even a layman or novice in this world. What do I know, curious to see more input.

Everything seems off plus the work seems terrible. I would vote bin.

& On 10/31/2020 at 7:18 AM, Baka Gaijin said: Hokuetsu Seppu contains studies into Snow crystals by Doi Toshitsura, Daimyo of Koga. He wrote a book called Sekka Zusetsu (A Study of Snowflakes) in 1832. Daaamn I think this is it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sekka_Zusetsu Apologies as it took me a while to go through all information shared above - it's not exactly the tale I remember but I'm fairly certain this is the subject from the information that does match. This will surely help narrowing the search for the story. Thank you both so much! 🥳

Yeah very cool patterns. I have some tea utensils with similar abstractions from crystals. I'm still trying to identify the story I opened with, or exactly where the idea came from. these kind of 'argh I can't remember' can bug me to no end. Part of the story I'm relatively sure about is the part about the subject having bargained a microscope from somewhere and also that the only way during that time to study the formations happening was to be outside in the cold. So in the story it mentions the subject being outside (I think it was said to mainly take place during nights and on the castle grounds, so subject had to be wealthy and of some power), during the night for 9 or 10 hours at a time, this is what I think I have read at some time or another. This thread might just be complete nonsense as having no one else recognizing it makes me doubt my memories even more😒 heh