Toryu2020

Unfortunately no - travel restrictions proved too onerous for our usual Japanese guests...

Johan - "Or must I rather think that the faker has taken an older mediocre blade (perhaps kanbun shinto age) and put a good smith's name and date on it to make it look more desireable?" this is most likely - the better fakers try to match workmanship in a blade to a known artists work - this is why we see swords with gimei getting papered to the "fake" name that was previously on the nakago. When you think of shape you have to consider how such fads travel across the country - as we approach Kanbun in time the shape begins to "level out", in and around Kanbun the fad for straight swords was at its peak thanks to the popularity of shinai kendo - after Kanbun the curve slowly creeps back into blades - these features occur in Edo and Osaka which are the centers of culture and sword-making - they occur later in the "provinces". Obviously a Kanbun smith is not going to sign Nobuyoshi on a Kanbun blade cause he had not made his reputation yet, so the blade could easily be before Nobuyoshi but the faking has to have been afterwards. As to your other questions - tradition, school, and smith - these cannot be determined by shape alone and that is why folks are requesting more photos. If shape/era are the only questions, you have provided us with enough information, if you want folks to hazard a guess as to the rest you will need more close-ups... -tch

Nice looking lacquer work - could we see more photos - including one of the whole saya? -t

Clouds over a village...

I feel like we had another thread like this going already but...

From the recent Kashu To-ken exhibition in Kanazawa taken by a friend...

Stolen from the internet - probably a repeat here...

Indeed I do! Bought from Tim Pepins father back in 1980 something... -t

Two characters only and I am pretty sure thats all there is...

Like the Shigeyoshi...

Hahaha - who collects Andon!?! -t

Counting down... Please note the NBTHK/AB is scheduled to present five! Juyo blades representing the five main schools of the Yamato-den. In addition a very special presentation of kodogu will be on display. "At the San Francisco show coming up will be an OUTSTANDING display for study put on by the NBTHK-AB of Goto Ichijo and Ichinomiya Nagatsune fittings it will be the best display ever put on in the USA of their works I believe all of the Nagatsune are examples in his sketch book and most of the Ichijo are in the original boxes from Ichijo when he made them for the original buyer! If you are a Kodogu person or just want to see the best of the best, come the the show and see the display, as a grouping like this will not be put together again !!!!!!" Schedule for the sword show just dropped... 2021 TOKEN KAI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY AUGUST 6 8:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. Dealer Set-up Ballroom F-J 12:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. Public Show Hours Ballroom F-J 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail Reception Foyer F SATURDAY AUGUST 7 9:00 A.M.-10:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 10:00 AM-11:00 P.M. JSSUS Etiquette Lecture Ballroom C-D 11:00 A.M.11:30 A.M. NBTHKAB Board Meeting. Ballroom C-D 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. NBTHKAB Display/Forum Ballroom C-D 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail/Dinner Reception* Foyer F SUNDAY AUGUST 8 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 4:00 P.M. Show Closes Thank you *This event is for Exhibitors only.

Sadly no shinsa this year but big things still happening... Please note the NBTHK/AB is scheduled to present five! Juyo blades representing the five main schools of the Yamato-den. In addition a very special presentation of kodogu will be on display. "At the San Francisco show coming up will be an OUTSTANDING display for study put on by the NBTHK-AB of Goto Ichijo and Ichinomiya Nagatsune fittings it will be the best display ever put on in the USA of their works I believe all of the Nagatsune are examples in his sketch book and most of the Ichijo are in the original boxes from Ichijo when he made them for the original buyer! If you are a Kodogu person or just want to see the best of the best, come the the show and see the display, as a grouping like this will not be put together again !!!!!!" Schedule for the sword show just dropped... 2021 TOKEN KAI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY AUGUST 6 8:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. Dealer Set-up Ballroom F-J 12:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. Public Show Hours Ballroom F-J 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail Reception Foyer F SATURDAY AUGUST 7 9:00 A.M.-10:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 10:00 AM-11:00 P.M. JSSUS Etiquette Lecture Ballroom C-D 11:00 A.M.11:30 A.M. NBTHKAB Board Meeting. Ballroom C-D 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. NBTHKAB Display/Forum Ballroom C-D 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail/Dinner Reception* Foyer F SUNDAY AUGUST 8 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 4:00 P.M. Show Closes Thank you *This event is for Exhibitors only.

Sadly no shinsa this year but still big things happening... Please note the NBTHK/AB is scheduled to present five! Juyo blades representing the five main schools of the Yamato-den. In addition a very special presentation of kodogu will be on display. "At the San Francisco show coming up will be an OUTSTANDING display for study put on by the NBTHK-AB of Goto Ichijo and Ichinomiya Nagatsune fittings it will be the best display ever put on in the USA of their works I believe all of the Nagatsune are examples in his sketch book and most of the Ichijo are in the original boxes from Ichijo when he made them for the original buyer! If you are a Kodogu person or just want to see the best of the best, come the the show and see the display, as a grouping like this will not be put together again !!!!!!" Schedule for the sword show just dropped... 2021 TOKEN KAI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY AUGUST 6 8:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. Dealer Set-up Ballroom F-J 12:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. Public Show Hours Ballroom F-J 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail Reception Foyer F SATURDAY AUGUST 7 9:00 A.M.-10:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 10:00 AM-11:00 P.M. JSSUS Etiquette Lecture Ballroom C-D 11:00 A.M.11:30 A.M. NBTHKAB Board Meeting. Ballroom C-D 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. NBTHKAB Display/Forum Ballroom C-D 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail/Dinner Reception* Foyer F SUNDAY AUGUST 8 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 4:00 P.M. Show Closes Thank you *This event is for Exhibitors only.

Please note the NBTHK/AB is scheduled to present five! Juyo blades representing the five main schools of the Yamato-den. In addition a very special presentation of kodogu will be on display. "At the San Francisco show coming up will be an OUTSTANDING display for study put on by the NBTHK-AB of Goto Ichijo and Ichinomiya Nagatsune fittings it will be the best display ever put on in the USA of their works I believe all of the Nagatsune are examples in his sketch book and most of the Ichijo are in the original boxes from Ichijo when he made them for the original buyer! If you are a Kodogu person or just want to see the best of the best, come the the show and see the display, as a grouping like this will not be put together again !!!!!!" Schedule for the sword show just dropped... 2021 TOKEN KAI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY AUGUST 6 8:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. Dealer Set-up Ballroom F-J 12:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. Public Show Hours Ballroom F-J 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail Reception Foyer F SATURDAY AUGUST 7 9:00 A.M.-10:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 10:00 AM-11:00 P.M. JSSUS Etiquette Lecture Ballroom C-D 11:00 A.M.11:30 A.M. NBTHKAB Board Meeting. Ballroom C-D 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. NBTHKAB Display/Forum Ballroom C-D 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail/Dinner Reception* Foyer F SUNDAY AUGUST 8 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 4:00 P.M. Show Closes Thank you *This event is for Exhibitors only.

Schedule of events - just posted 2021 TOKEN KAI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY AUGUST 6 8:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. Dealer Set-up Ballroom F-J 12:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. Public Show Hours Ballroom F-J 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail Reception Foyer F SATURDAY AUGUST 7 9:00 A.M.-10:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 10:00 AM-11:00 P.M. JSSUS Etiquette Lecture Ballroom C-D 11:00 A.M.11:30 A.M. NBTHKAB Board Meeting. Ballroom C-D 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. NBTHKAB Display/Forum Ballroom C-D 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Cocktail/Dinner Reception* Foyer F SUNDAY AUGUST 8 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Show Hours Ballroom F-J 4:00 P.M. Show Closes Thank you *This event is for Exhibitors only.

Some beauty there hiding under all the shmootz and scratches... -t

Yoshitsugu - especially like that tsuba -t

Not spamming when posting swords - most any sword is a pleasure to look at... -t

Nice!

Nice! but I just found a stash of old postage stamps and was looking for a collector... -t

I have had similar experiences - since I'm much taller than most Japanese, I learned to start looking at shape, Hamon and Utsuri when I was two or three back so I could focus on hada when I got the blade in hand. A great experience man, envy you the journey... -t

So no stamp collectors then?

Michael - The lectures are always on Saturday, so youre in luck. I believe the NBTHK will charge a fee for non-members to attend as they have in the past. I will post the schedule of all the events once I have it. -tch

Alton - When I started out I was a poor student (then as now) no funds for these pricey toys so I determined early on that I would learn as much as I possibly could and see as many good swords as possible to build a collection in my head that no thief could steal. I feel I have been successful and along the way thru the kindness of other collectors I have put together a modest collection of real blades of which I am proud. Stick to your studies and the same can happen for you... -t