Akitombo

Thank you Piers

Hi, Could anybody please help with this seal on a ivory sword please. David

Hi Tim, Any chance of a picture of the tang please. David

Military swords of Japan/ Fuller and Gregory . Hardback. £45.00 inc. UK shipping

Hi, Can anybody please give me details of a UK based sword polisher. Also can I wish all on the NMB a Merry Christmas David

Thank you David

Hi, Could anybody please help with the translation on a woodblock print David

Kinai school, Edo period . David

Grev, Kawakatsu clan I think David

Cheers Steve, As I thought, it interested me as it was rather "off field" Was there ever a Yamakichibei pattern book, like the Yagyu one? David

Steve, Is this one also a later revival tsuba? David

Curran, Yes I agree about the Haynes catalogues, they were a moment in time, not unlike the Joly's before, knowledge moves forward. It's interesting that Robert Buraway said in "The Picture Book of Old Tsuba" that under the heading of Hoan and Yamakichibei, "Never seen a real one in the west!" Was he only thinking of the first and second? Is he right?? David

Hi Steve, Yes I have a copy of your article and it has helped a lot. So do you think that tsuba, like the one I posted in this thread are made by artists with no link at all to the original Yamakichibei or each other? I love the thought of Bob's revival group. David

Steve, Looking through the old Haynes catalogues, there are quite a few examples of signed Yamakichibei tsuba which Bob puts down to Norisuke II, but only with the Yamakichibei signiture on it. He also has a Dai-sho in No. 4 (1059), which he puts down to Tokyo style revival school. Would those now be placed into later Yamakichibei works? David

Steve, This tsuba came from the Grey Doffin site around eight years ago, I purchased it this year. When you go on grey's site it has good photos of this one. Do all Norisuke have the top character right hand side missing? What about when the nakago has been extended to fit a new blade. I have a few more suspect one's which I will list in the morning. David