Curran

Over the last 15 years or so on various stages of NMB, I don't think I have ever given my full support to a dealer before. I recently had a great experience with the Murakami family at: http://www.samurai-nippon.net/SHOP/109527/109717/t02/list2.html They helped me procure an extremely rare daisho set- signed and dated, which further research with NBTHK will probably evidence as a commission of the Owari Tokugawa. It was a rare opportunity for me, and the Murakami family provided the gentle level of service that we historically think of as Japanese. While Murakami-san does not speak English, the son Ryuta does and will assist with English inquiries. Please be patient. This was one of the most pleasant transactions in years, with only Yashima [non-web present] providing similar kindness and service. I A1+ recommend. Now- I only wish I had gotten to their Kinju listing first: http://www.samurai-nippon.net/SHOP/V-1621.html 22k for a Juyo tanto by the co-founder of the Mino school. I can count on one hand the number of Kinju juyo I have seen for sale over the last 15 years, and most were Tokubetsu Juyo. Again, my heartfelt recommendation for their service. Some macro shots of the daisho for Stephen. Dragons aren't my thing, but this pair will do. Curran Samurai-Nippon.net.pdf

Hi Ken, Kamiyoshi is a school name. PM sent.

Ken- not quite the same, but a papered example for reference: http://www.kusanaginosya.com/SHOP/410.html

Dimensions? especially _thickness_ ? Akasaka design. Most of what I see in your image looks like mid to later Akasaka. It also could be Tosa Myochin, as they copied Akasaka designs and I've sometimes made error to mid-late Akasaka when NBTHK went on to say Tosa Myochin.

Grev: The sword looks to be signed faintly "Bishu ?" and the rest cut off. It looks to be in the 50-60cm range, making it a long wakizashi or a greatly shortened sword. I'd leave it to others to debate whether it can be /or should be/ restored. Again, I hesitated to comment on this thread- largely because the value of the last Higo school (aka. Kamiyoshi of the 1800s) is very debatable. Someone like Vajo might feel very differently. If he wants to pay Ken for it, then maybe he can restore it. My current opinion of it is that it has largely to do with condition. It is a pretty tsuba in poor [but not 'dead'] condition. As calming things to do when stuck working at a desk waiting on things, my wife sometimes knits. I sometimes pull up a magnifier and work on tsuba. This Kamiyoshi is probably worth saving, but it is going to take a fair bit of work.

In its current state, yes I meant $100-125. To me it looks like a lot of work, and some of the thin patina points concern me. Assuming it survives, then there is the dilemma of whether or not to spend 6 to 9 months papering it and paying an extra $225-$300 for the Japan roundtrip, agent, and paper fees. If they say "Kodai Kamiyoshi" you might just want to throw out the papers. If you want to pay Ken $1000-1200 for it, then you guys should get together soon. _______________________________________________________________________ Added: You wouldn't rather Fred Weissberg's excellent condition NBTHK Hozon papered one? It has been sitting there a while. For $1000, I am sure it could be on your doorstep as fast as German customs will let it pass through.

From what I can see, there appears a faint partial signature on this short sword. Maybe someone else can help with that. The blade looks like someone used it to chop the hedges a few times. The fittings: The tsuba, fuchi, and kashira all look Higo. The tsuba is signed Kamiyoshi and looked very Kamiyoshi school to me from design, dimensions, and carving. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then probably a duck. If someone wants to try and pin it on a particular smith, maybe they can. Without a signature or the punch marks used by some, I would just leave it at Kamiyoshi school for now. Of the Higo schools, there are the 4 original ones and Kamiyoshi being the +1 added when they thought the Hayashi school was dying out. Given the resurgence of the Hayashi school, I regard the Kamiyoshi as the sort of spare tire of the bunch- producing mostly in the 1800s as a background to the other Higo. I confess that Kamiyoshi school is the one I tend to avoid, as I am not crazy about the 1800s works unless the design interests me. Still, this is a nice design and is pleasant to me. I hesitated to comment yesterday because condition is rough. Explaining this sort of news is rarely welcome. A very good condition one with papers can sell for $1000 or so: http://www.nihonto.com/rh460/ This one has both patina and rust issues that it needs such Time and Tender care, I would pay $100-125 for it as a project to keep my hands busy. Even then, the patina might require artificial help that I am not willing to do. It is sort of a gamble whether or not it will restore. I think this is an example of the sort of beater sword that sometimes comes into a sword show and gets broken up: someone buys the blade and the fittings get sold off individually. The fuchi and kashira don't look a pair to me, though the fuchi might be more interesting. I cannot really see the menuki. As I started with, maybe someone can read the blade signature and comment on whether the blade itself is savable.

Exceptionally missed: Herr Hagenbusch http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18678-n-b-t-h-k-e-b-bonn-30-01-2016/ To add to Jean's list: Herr Hagenbusch John Prough Col Dean Hartley Harry Watson Cary Condell- more people seemed to hate him than like him, but he was an educator and important in the US-Japan for many years. --I fenced Varsity at my university. The other week after discussing fencing here on the board, I had a dream of my old teammates and those practices among a lively young group of 12-13 men and 4-5 women. The women's captain's name was Mayling Birney, one of the most sweet sincere intelligent people I knew at university. At 44, she was now a professor of Economics at the London School of Economics. Supposedly a heart issue felled her suddenly a few months ago. She was one of those people I always hoped would live a long happy life, so I am very sad for her passing as I think too many of us rotten bastards continue on.

+1

I'm sticking with that too. For a supposed newbie, its good to see Robin has read up on how to strip off the old oil and go at it with ivory. Having worked a piece like this before, the After photo looks as I would expect. I'll leave it at that.

Hi Jean- well, this part should head to the Izakaya. Shhhh!!! Don't tell anyone about Armagnac. That has been my semi-secret for the last decade, just like Japanese whisky once was. Now cat is out of the bag on the Japanese stuff and I can't even get Hibiki 17 in the USA. It costs 3x to 4x what it did only a few years ago. That ship has sailed. Though Armagnac is the best buy, it is difficult to get a selection of the better ones outside certain parts of the USA. The sellers here tack on a huge premium due to low demand. If someone writes a good guide to them as Parker did to Bordeaux so long ago, or Jackson's intro guide to Whisky- then Armagnac market might follow the Japanese Whisky market. Careful what you wish for.... Also, many things in the USA get passed off as Armagnac due to questionable bottling rules. Still, if living in NYC- you can pick up Armagnac for $25 that drinks like $65-75 bottles of other spirits. As to Scottish whisky and 17-21 year olds, if you know what you are really doing- there is little comparison or substitution. Some people debate sports endlessly. On one side of my family, they debate whisky endlessly. You'd think they were running distilleries from -Speyside- to -the Islands- [as is common parlance]. It is sort of a male love language where one uncle can tell you what whisky at what age, for what weather, and what mood. Like those people who endlessly debate sports and sport teams, I want to roll my eyes. Then I sit down with him and live through the experience as he does, and I say to myself that I so get this or "grok this". With the great fall of the GBP the last 18 months, some of the prices on the good stuff are very doable. I recently had imported a very special bottle for my brother in law. I wish I were there with him to have a dram or two, as I won't spend that amount of money on myself. I have yet to find an XO that could compete with it at the current price. --Lucky (or unlucky) for me, I live in FL where whisky is moot for half the year. You also cannot beat Rum here for 1/2 the price of anywhere else in the world. 15 year old top shelf Rums, which are still painfully limited in complexity vs many of your whisky, cognac, or Armagnac of that age.... cost a fraction of them. The supply is so vast here, that things often go on ridiculous 50% off sales, at prices that were already 50% of what the bottle would cost in NYC.

And that got me the same info. Everything so far says it is on a plane running its jets at Chubu International just south of Nagoya. The pinhead methinated young woman working the counter at USPS [remember when they had to pass an exam to get the job? No longer.] also said Chubu. Man, this one is annoying. Law of the 'verse.... the more interesting, important, unique, or time sensitive an item.... the more likely it takes an ethereal side trip. Perish the heavens if it should be (D ) All of the above: interesting, important, unique, and time sensitive. ARRrrrrrrrggggghhhh! Where is the 30 year old whisky when you need it??? Apparently, stuck on a plane in Chubu International. [kidding, it isn't Japanese whisky... it is older and more interesting.]

Well, Ford does go by the self title of "Heretic". Before anyone gets testy, that is meant as a friendly joke. I tend to like most heretics, especially ones that truly know what they are talking about. I think he and I are seeing the same thing, but drawing different conclusions. His technical skills are way way off the chart beyond mine, and I operate more from a comparative basis of works I have seen. I never specified Edo, as I couldn't say whether 1860 or 1910 work. I did lean towards very late edo or early meiji. [Edit: re-reading my initial post, I did imply late Edo.... crap. I simply felt it was 19th century work.] My question to Ford then is his opinion as to 19th or early 20th century? I've certainly been fooled by a 1920s-1930s piece now and then. The tsuba(s) I am referencing were unsigned, but hakogaki by the artists corrected me. I was off by 2 or 3 decades. This may be another example.

Late Choshu? Seems perfectly fine to me. Better than many beginners first tsuba. The Choshu school breaks down into several sub schools as the Edo period progressed. Without verifying which subschool with the Choshu book, one of the subschools did produce more 'western art perspective' realistic nature design tsuba on what felt like battleship hull grey iron. On tsuba of that sort, I'd expect rust to be young to almost non existent. The one I previously owned of that realistic sort, was almost pristine except a few small old spittle spots that needed cleaned. I sold an exceptionally nice signed sukashi Choshu to one of our fellow forum members. I regret that a bit, as I should have kept at least one Choshu. At least it went to the right person!

In prior years USPS has disabled or put on minimal mode its tracking for most of December. Anyone recently been able to track anything from Japan? I had a packaged leave Japan -dispatched from Outer Office-- several days ago. According to the USPS and EMS tracking, there have been no further updates. In the air 4 days? Plane circling New York? Or slid off runway into icy waters? This one is time sensitive, otherwise I'd chill and just pour some .

Same experience, more than one time. Others speak highly of him, so I have let it go as either (I) technical malfunction with his ability to process emails or (II) some sort of discrimination or exclusion that I don't know why, but such things do happen.

Nicely done. Needs a decent sageo now.

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Pete is right. Also, might as well mention that monkey and trainer is considered an anti-shogun theme by some sources. I do not remember the reason Why. That is a gimei of Shozui. Signature is off by a mile.

That is my guess too.

At this point, the thread should be moved elsewhere- possibly to Katchu section? *Before it moves*, I must say this was a nice piece. Good snag by Grev. Wife will probably kill me if I start collecting armor, but the Kaga workmanship was fine and beautiful to see. Definitely worth saving down an image or two.

Something else. 美濃

This is an O-kogatana? Or regular kogatana? Either way- probably finish it. If a rarer O-kogatana, I definitely vote for finish it. For whatever reason, most of the nicer ones I've seen in USA all have a small kizu or grain opening somewhere. While you are at it, good luck finding a O-kozuka. I've tried to find a higher end one for years, with no luck. Then a most respectable joker with an excellent collection puts a few on display in Tampa the other year. http://www.nihonto.com/ko-kinko-o-kozuka/ I guess I know why I've never found a ko-Goto or ko-kinko one.

you have some good opinions above.

Ken has 2x the experience I have both in eastern and western styles. If he backs up what I wrote, I feel better for it. I have not 'scrimmaged' eastern or western styles for over 10 years. I miss the hell out of it.