Michaelr

I think it’s a beautiful blade. Thank you for sharing MikeR

There is only one child here John. I am glad that others were able to buy your lovely prints and scroll. Enough said MikeR

Just so everyone knows, I was the original buyer of print #1 and #2 and the scroll and because I went to visit my 94 year old mother and didnt pay John immediately he passed me over and sold the items to others. Not a good way to sell items and I feel very disrespectful to a fellow forum member. I will not deal with John in the future. Good luck to those that got these items MikeR

Very nice. Congratulations. Thank you for sharing MikeR

I have been informed that the Orlando Japanese Sword Show has scheduled its 9th show for June 2023. Bob will be very missed but it is nice that someone has stepped up to carry on the show. The information that I have is : show dates are June, 23,24,26-2023. It will be held at the same hotel which is the Hilton Orlando Airport and there are special room rates for the show. The contact information is: Mark Ceskavich, 407-401-1319, orlandoswordshow@gmail.con www.orlandoswordshow.com This was always a great show. Hope to see you there as I have already booked my table and room. MikeR

WOW Thank you for sharing MikeR

Thank you Brent. David good luck with the sale. I think all of the books are priced below where they should be and a Great deal! MikeR

I guess postage on these to the US would be more than the books themselves? Any idea? Thank you. MikeR

Lee I was told early on that “ you don’t pick a sword the sword picks you “. To me this is why people tend to be happy with a sword just because. Your sword is very pleasing to look at and looks to be in great condition. I would be proud to be its caretaker. Stay here on this forum and you will learn a ton of information and see a lot of great swords. You will also have a opportunity to meet some of the best people in the world. Look up the care of a sword and read it a couple times and practice what it says. You are off to a great start. Thank you for sharing MikeR

Very nice. Glad that you purchased something that you can enjoy for a long time. Thank you for sharing MikeR

A “good “ collection in in the eye of the beholder. Who is to say what I have and might treasure is any less than what anyone else has. Everyone has their own taste, their own budget and their own really treasured collection. Just my two cents MikeR

Ok a few of you asked for my story so here it is. I collected WW2 US, German and Japanese weapons including, knives, bayonets, rifles, pistols, shotguns, holsters and other WW2 stuff for over 40 years at the time of my dispersal. Everything that I purchased was purchased for myself and was the best that there was out there at the time. Do to a divorce I had to sell my whole collection. With this many years invested and the fact that I had all premium items I had many friends or so I thought. When it came time to sell many of those friends stepped up and expressed their desire for many of my items. With the type of person I was I figured that this was my opportunity to pass many of my beloved items on to “ friends” at a well below market cost so that they may enjoy them as much as I did and I could still be proud of the items as I “ thought “ I knew where they were going. I had offers well above my “ friends “ prices but this was my way of treating others with the way that someday I might be treated. Soooo after passing many pieces of my collection on I started to see “ my stuff “ for resale at inflated prices. When I questioned my so called friends as to why did they tell me that they wanted my items for themselves they said that they knew I would sell them my things to them cheap and they could resell them ( for what I could have ) and make good money as there was a demand for items in the condition of mine. They had no Problem telling me that once I sold my items to them that they now owned them and could do what they wanted with them. This was a tuff one and very unexpected. After that I started to offer my not so friends- friends the rest of my collection for going rate. Of course they told me I was nuts. At this point I sent the remaining collection off to a well known reseller that charged me 10% commission. The ironic part was that I added 20% and some of the same people stepped up and paid the reseller the new price so I ended up making more money through him. What did I learn: most friends are not friends they are acquaintances. I came through this with a new look on life and a new set of rules for those I call FRIENDS. For about the past 10 years I started collecting Japanese Swords, again only for myself, and the people that I have met here and at the Orlando Japanese Sword Show have restored my faith in what real friends are. Thanks everyone here for treating me as a friend and I will still pay it forward when my time comes but this time my Real Friends will appreciate my gifts I told you it would be long but you asked for it. Hope you enjoyed it and maybe learned a little from my life’s experience and take the time to figure out what Real Friends are I know the difference now. MikeR

Peter, many are ago, due to personal circumstances, I was forced to sell off a extensive collection of let’s say WW2 items. If I were to try and explain how it went and what I tried to do and ended up doing it would be a book of its own. I will try and figure a way to condense my story if this is what you and other members would like. I can tell you it was a eye opener to say the least. This was my start in life to find out and understand the difference between Friends and TRUE FRIENDS. Let me know if this is what you are looking for and I will see if I can work it out. Thank you. MikeR

WOW that Koshirae is BEAUTIFUL. Thank you for sharing it MikeR

WOW that is a beautiful blade. I would be proud to own that. Thank you for sharing MikeR

Great sword. Thank you for sharing MikeR

Knowing in advance when you may pass could be either a blessing or a curse depending on how that individual feels about it. I think your original question goes the same way. There is no right or wrong, no best way or worst way, only the way that makes YOU feel good about what you decided. Here is my two cents. I have been a collector for now over 55 years. I have only been into Japanese Swords for a very short 10 years. In the past 20 years I have only purchased what I like and what I want to keep for myself and for my enjoyment. With that being said I am the most proud of my collection when I am sharing it with others that also appreciate it. So for me if I was given a time frame for my own passing I would pick out a couple of the items that pleased me the most and set them aside. While I had the time I would then put my other treasures up for sale in places like this Great Forum, where other like minded people can appreciate the pictures, comment on my treasures and hopefully be as impressed with a few items to purchase them. If I were passing nothing would give me more pleaser than to be able to pass something on to someone, like the boy mentioned above, and see the same look that was on my face when I was given the opportunity to become the caretaker of a Great Item. As for the few items that I saved for myself it wouldn’t matter what happened to them after I passed. I still had them to enjoy right up to the end. I could only hope an request from my survivors to try and pass them on to someone like me To me after doing this for so long there is nothing better for me that to see that look in someone else’s eyes and being able to be a part of it. You can’t do that after you are gone and If your survivor dosent want your stuff they will never see that in the new owners eyes nor will they care. Pass it on to someone like yourself while you can, it will give you almost the same enjoyment as it did/ does to own it. Good luck with what ever you decide and after you have thought long and hard to make YOUR decision DONT LOOK BACK, it will have been the right one. Ps also if you do this while you can you will only be leaving your loved ones money from the sale. No one will have to know how much you spent, lost , or made and they definitely won’t be saying “ that old guy was crazy” everyone likes cash MikeR

WOW! That is a beautiful set up. To me that is the best way to enjoy your blades and Koshira. Great job. Thank you for sharing MikeR

All makes a lot of sense and all good points. Thank you so much for your response. MikeR

Ok not to change or steal Shane’s original post but what about displaying bare blades on a rack? If the blade is kept oiled and the temperature is somewhat controlled and the humidity is somewhat controlled can they be left out to enjoy? ( I use the word somewhat to imply that this is in a home, in a separate room, where the temperature mostly consistent and a dehumidifier is on 24-7). I know that museums have very controlled environments but I see blades stored this way so they can be enjoyed by all. Thank you MikeR

Very nice. Thank you for sharing MikeR

Thank all of you. I will try and get some more information and some pictures. MikeR

Thank you John. It appears that what I was looking at was Zohei-To. I was told by the seller that the one in the 94 mounts was signed but non-traditional blade and the one in the 98 mounts was also signed but traditionally made blade. I am going to see if I can get any more information from the seller. Is the Zohei-To common or fairly uncommon? I don’t think that I have seen many myself. Sorry if I posted this in the wrong place, so as Bruce suggested, Brian please move this post to where ever it should be. MikeR

As I am not into either one but want to learn about both my question is: what is the difference between a bare KYU blade and a bare NCO blade. To me as a novice who has not really studied these they both appear similar. I have never had a opportunity to be shown or told the difference nor a opportunity to compare both side by side. With that being said is it possible to find these blades mounted in 94 mounts? If this I has been discussed here before please excuse the question and point me in the right direction as I have tried to search every way I could but had no luck. Thank you MikeR

Great read. Thank you for sharing MikeR