Toryu2020

Bizen (no) Kuni Osafune Ju - the rest should be on the other side...

I think you would find eager buyers right here on this forum... -t

Yet another tale of Musashi I know - my teacher always taught us that he preferred this design as it was the absolute minimum for getting the job done (Hand stop) and he could easily show students his hands and what they were doing... -t

Sad news indeed.

Japanese Polearms by Knutsen Nihon no Meiso by Numata

Colin - Those are not hitsu but part of the design. There are cut outs to the seppadai to accomodate kozuka and kogai and they may be later. It is of average size, I would say it was for a katana... -t

Welcome Alexi - do consider joining us for a sword club meeting when you have the time... -t

for 2500 I would buy it in a heart beat... What doesn't show in the photos is all the work in the odawara fukurin - textbook work dripping with the tea-taste of the age of Daimyo. I would say it got Juyo for its workmanship and condition plus the context of its manufacture but not because of it. for comparison JÛYÔ TSUBA BY HIRATA HIKOZÔ 平田彦三 080819 - NIHONTO -t

It was great to have Brian there, and even though I was right next to his table I didn't get to meet many of you all. That being said it is very gratifying to hear that everyone had a good show. Check our Facebook page for my photos... https://www.facebook...on_generic&ref=notif -t

Early action

They're here! Your Administrator and Chief bottle washer made it safely to the hotel! I met him and Nicky at the door and they are by now well settled. The hotel is already full of sword nuts and its looking good for a successful show... -t

Naminohira Yasutsune??

One reason I like Shinshinto, the history is close enough for us to touch... Legends and Stories around the Japanese Sword 2 (lulu.com)

Jon A friend tried this - I think the real flaw was the sample sizes were just too small. (see below) The NBTHK and NTHK always list dimensions, however as far as I know this info is not compiled anywhere. Pay attention to this detail in the listings and slowly it comes to help form an image in your head... -t https://www.amazon.c...dresen/dp/1523962089

Edward you really can do no better than Robert Hughes. Top quality guaranteed. -t

Yes you can sign up at the show. -t

The Northern California Japanese Sword Club has been doing Zoom meetings for more than a year now - each month we discuss a different sword maker. Please join us! -t

You might contact Bannister Sensei - he might know of a group... AiShinKai Fudo Myoo-Ji Dojo - Martial Arts, Cultural Arts, Iaido

In our simple kantei-kai in San Francisco the first question the student is asked to answer is always quality. Choose A+ A B C or D. How does one do this when you have only seen three or four good swords? Well, use that as your database, is this new sword as good or better than those four you have seen? Assign it a quality and move on to other parts of the kantei. If you find later than others have rated the sword way higher or way lower than you then ask what do they see that adds to the quality. Do this one by one with many swords and some day you'll have an impressive database all your own that you can call up and that is based on your own assessment... -t

Tadahiro - nice this one... https://www.nipponto...swords9/WK330128.htm

Hizen wakizashi https://www.nipponto...swords7/WK329226.htm

Tanto page for example https://www.nipponto.co.jp/swordlist13.htm

The form of the "Mura" character is completely different - If I didn't know better I would say the Yari version is the one used by Muramasa - any signs this is a Muramasa with an altered signature? -t

Listed as Kan (Tamaki) in the Japanese references - bridle and snaffle are depicted diferently...

The powder doesn't help - curious to see more of that grain - have you compared the Mei to known examples? -t