Steves87

I just received a Tsuba which was shipped by sea from Japan to Australia. it took a little over 2 months, which is a long time when you can generally get something within two weeks. For me personally, the wait IS excruciating, but if you really want the item, it is the sacrifice you have to pay.

That looked like a bargain all round... wasnt me though

no, but that is great news if it is getting back to 'normal'

I'd like to add a cloud version too

great gift! I have seen a similar design which was Fuji and it's reflection in the great lake

Thanks for the opportunity Dale, it was a privilege and a joy !

Dale's Early article books are great, to have so many past published articles on Tsuba collated and presented in the way he has done it, is a pleasure. Brings another life to an otherwise forgotten article. The 'Tsuba in the Metropolitan Museum of Art' books are great too, on a personal note, I have gripes with the the MET website (is another discussion), so to have a printed format is great, my wife has even flicked through them a few times too!

Amazing!!

As what I read of the article, I take that that mentality is part of the problem

This could be the first article I ever read from Robert Haynes a few years ago. http://www.shibuiswords.com/masterpieces.htm Second last paragraph has always stuck with me

To me, there is no argument that the condition to one is better than the other. The difference in condition between the two vs the difference in price is maybe 100 times out. Why? Some scratchings of a signature? or that a piece of paper is included? If it is condition alone you are either getting severely ripped off or getting an absolute bargain. There is no middle ground here. None. This, im sure the op is likely alluding to. Money is a good thing to accumulate vs junk, and lets be honest to the way non collectors see it, we are collecting antique scrap metal, is saving a bit of money (in turn, saving some of our accumulation) and not getting a perfect condition piece with a sheet of paper so bad? No disrespect intended, but I have been struggling with understanding the elitism of Nihonto for years.

I would almost say the timber one was used as an original to cast from, very similar!

It seems it has been impacted by something with 'teeth', like sprocket teeth. I like the moon/cloud combo

It does seem a little odd, especially if you are so interested in Nihonto? Honestly though, I was reading through the NMB for years before I actually joined. At least three guys I had face to face contact with through gumtree had asked me if I was a member (which I was not) and I wish I could remember who they were. I dont know if they were all members, but at least one was and he had said he doesnt post or surf much. Maybe he is a SBG or sword forum user? Edit: also, being in Perth is quite lonely, especially if your a Tosogu guy. I have almost no one to talk to face to face about them. Im not collecting Nihonto blades, which I am sure there are a few here which do. If you have not been around too long, it may be a good way to meet and get in with like minded enthusiasts?

I'm in Perth and have had very brief contact with this person, through gumtree. I think he just wants to talk about, see and gather information as much as he can, as possible. It doesn't seem he wants to necessarily buy from you or sell to you, but help you out with purchasing a legit sword. Even still, I'd probably not send anything to him for security purposes. I have bought many Chinese functional replicas and sold just as many through gumtree (we are talking 20+), there is nothing wrong with it, but it is actually against gumtree policy points 16 and 39 (i think) and they will take an ad down very fast, you end up buying and selling through the same people. Just send them a message and see what they have or want. I sell through gumtree and admittedly my prices are super high, that is because I don't necessarily want to sell, but I am open to selling as a 'trade up' all to get another (more expensive) Tsuba for my collection.