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MHC

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Everything posted by MHC

  1. Hello Kyle, Thanks for the attachment, it was good and informative reading, very helpful indeed. Now I feel comfortable knowing a period and a school style. The Aizu-Shoami school style, seems to fit it the best, wish it was in better condition. It came on a sword I bought that was probably a civilian WWII Gunto re-mount, utilizing the older blade & Tsuba, with a re-used Saya wrapped in Gunto leather and a Gunto Tsuka. Everything fits together flawlessly and super tight, and all the patina is exactly the same, so I'm confidant it all belongs together. I will re-mount the blade with much nicer Koshirae, and I guess just hang onto the parts-n-pieces. Thanks again. Mark
  2. Thanks Kyle, A school with beginner students I would guess, by the questionable skill level of this piece. It had a lot more gold & silver inlay at one time, but the installation style is lacking good adhesion, and has fallen out over the years. It does appear that it has been mounted on at least 2 swords over the years, so somebody liked it enough to use. Mark
  3. Hello all, Had this for awhile, I know it's nothing special, but still curious about it's approx. age and the artist. Hate having something, without knowing details about it. Mark
  4. Hello Brandon, I'm considering a Shakudo (maybe iron) fuchi kashira set in nanako pattern, similar to the set you have shown on the right. Maybe something a little fancier with boarders? Or silver inlay grasses or orchids. Anyway, just throwing it out there in case you have a lead for me to follow, would greatly appreciate it. Mark
  5. Hello George, Found this online, and thought this could be another reason to have an Orchid on a Tsuba. "By the early 17th century, the orchid flower was a symbol of respect and admiration in Japanese culture. Orchids became so revered in Japan that growing orchids was sometimes considered a noble art form. In particular, dendrobium orchids were grown by Japanese royalty for their fragrance and beauty. Another orchid that has a special place in Japanese culture is the Neofinetia falcata, also known as the wind orchid. These orchids are sometimes popularly called samurai orchids, mainly because samurai were known to grow them as symbols of bravery and peace." Probably just trying to rationalize my western likes....but what the heh. Mark
  6. I've never seen chisel marks that far away from the nakago-ana before, is this normal? Seems too far away to effect proper fitment, just causes damage instead. Mark
  7. Thank you George for the link, very helpful!
  8. The simple odds of there being any kind of "scratch' apparent on both sides of the blade, at exactly the same location, are beyond minimal, better luck with buying a lotto ticket I'm afraid. Additionally, in the magnified views, you can clearly see the anomaly following grain patterns. That would be as very cleaver hat trick for a scratch. Mark
  9. Thank you George, that is very insightful information about the 4 gentleman theme, I like it. Anybody know of a written source that outlines themes/stories/fables and their meanings in the Japanese culture from days gone by? It would need to be in English as my Japanese is nonexistent. Mark
  10. Ok, a little more in depth set of questions. When one assembles their Koshirae, do you generally delve into the individual meanings portrayed in each items design, and then assemble the pieces so a "meaning or story" is conveyed? Do you try to find all items that date around the same time as each other? Or is that getting too esoteric and impractical (not to mention difficult)? Does any of that really matter in this day and age, or does everyone simply go with aesthetics? Mark
  11. Monty Pythons killer rabbit.....couldn't resist. Mark
  12. At the risk of ending up with two sets of koshirae that might be deemed "boring", I'm going to forge ahead and try to find at least complimentary pieces to make up the complete package for the 2 naked swords I'm working to complete. #1 is a Wak, and getting the Kinko grasses Tsuba with complementary grasses/heron Fuchi/Kashira, and heron menuki (not shown). #2 is a Katana and getting the orchid Tsuba, with as of today, no other items yet acquired. Maybe, just maybe...I'll come around to a more Japanese appreciation mind set, as time goes by....but I'm already 63, so a change better start happening soon..;} Mark
  13. Well thank you all. Todays classroom was both enlightening and disheartening. During my childhood, I grew up with a great friend that was Japanese, his home was of western design, but his parents went all out to make the inside and the landscape impeccably Japanese. So this is the main basis I have from a young age, about Japanese aesthetics. The house was beautifully austere, with everything exactly in it's place and surgically clean. No detail large or small was overlooked, everything blended absolutely perfectly, and the flow of the house matched the daily routine, from waking, to dressing, to bathing, to eating and to evening family gathering. So jump 40 years into the future, and I start down this road that is Nihonto, only to find my pre-conceived notions now dashed. Ok, I'll get over it, and start learning a thing or two about this arena, but I don't have to like it....... ;} Thanks again everybody, and I wish Brian the best of health with his Covid recovery! Mark
  14. Hello all, Query from a relatively new to the scene collector/admirer. I've been viewing a lot of swords with complete Koshirae and can't help but notice that very few, if any really, have a complete theme. Maybe the Fuchi & Kashira match, but rarely does the Tsuba share the same theme. Then there is the saya which almost never matches anything, and the Menuki are simply all over the place, no rhyme or reason. My OCD is bouncing off the red zone, I simply can not image that a properly fitted sword/Koshirae would not share a flowing continuous theme for all items. Sometimes the parts are a close match {i.e. waves pattern, but even then rarely does the style of each item match exactly. Sure I realize that over the years things get lost, changed, damaged and even styles change. What bothers me the most, are comments like "Beautiful complete Koshirae", or "stunning attention to detail", when all I see is a Koshirae that is a mix-n-match mess, with zero continuity and form. I would think the artist would want all items to be "autumn leaves" or "shell fish" or "plum branches with flowers" or "cherry blossoms" or "pine trees" etc., etc. I think I probably just need to get over it, but..........am I the only one that thinks this way? Is this a true sign of a rookie entering the scene? Mark
  15. Hummm...everything about this sword reeks of modern, made to look older, absolutely nothing looks right to me...run forest run. Hey, but what do I know I'm just a rookie viewing from the gallery..... Mark
  16. It is my understanding that most, if not all Japanese families, do not want to entertain any remembrance of that era. It was a sad time, and to many a shameful time. If the sword is indeed an older family heirloom, you might not cause any possible grief by attempting to return it. However, and I could be way out of line here so please use your own best judgement, but I fear you could do more damage than good by trying to find the owners family, and return the sword. Remember the Japanese culture is way different than the American culture, so please tread lightly. My .02 worth. Mark
  17. Yep...that's the one, thanks for sharing with us all. It is so over the top it leaves one speechless. Mark
  18. That is simply too cool...wonder what happened to the other pieces needed to complete the Saya in that theme? I saw photos of another very old and elaborately fitted Saya some time ago, that was along a similar theme, but can't for the life of me recall where??? I tend to like simpler style fittings, but when you see something like this....well what can one say, other than marvelous! Mark
  19. Jean, You mention punching thru a "red hot Nakago", I thought the Tsukamaki-Shi installed the Mekugi-Ana hole. So your saying the Tsukamaki-Shi re-heated the Nakago? Would not re-heating the Nakago to a red hot state, damage the temper on the blade? Mark
  20. See...now you spoiled my plans, I even got all dressed up for it. Mark
  21. MHC

    Katana

    Yes Jamie, the Toledo blade is a replica, the Katanas are fakes, most likely of Chinese origin. However, they would still look real nice as wall hangers, and pretty reminders to you, that research and knowledge should precede any purchase. Lesson learned, and likely not a very expensive lesson at that. Choke it up to experience, and move forward knowing better now. Best of luck with your future ventures into the world of swords, and remember, always have fun, or it ceases to be a hobby! Mark
  22. MHC

    Katana

    Jean, I humbly beg to differ.... the only thing that could be misconstrued as wrong, is the fact that SOME (not all) modern blacksmiths do indeed fold or twist their welded stack of thin steel sheets(in order to attempt to get accreditation from the modern blacksmithing community). I have reviewed and overseen classes in blacksmithing as an experiment in knowledge gathering, and have seen 1st hand through class instruction and actual examples of worked steel (both new and old) that were attempts to replicate the LOOK of the original Wootz steel Damascus blades. I have seen as many as 100 pieces of .020 thick sheets of steel all stacked together, edge tack welded then heated in a forge and hammer welded together. Once shaped and semi polished, these displayed the pattern exactly as seen in the bogus sword shown in the photo. I was simply commenting on examples I've held in my had as a comparison. Yes, some blacksmiths from far back in history tried many ways to duplicate true Damascus steel, all with varying degrees of failure. The Wikipedia article you linked, tells us as much. Furthermore I was not trying to give a thesis on the history and manufacture of original Wootz crucible pattern steel Damascus blades, or on Pattern welded blades, I was once again, simple commenting on the shown blade from the original OP, and giving a loose overview of how most likely THAT blade was made. Original Wootz crucible Patterned Damascus steel was just that, a crucible steel, not a welded pattern steel ingot...huge difference between each of these. I have not studied the construction of Viking swords, so I am not competent to comment regarding them. Politely, Mark
  23. MHC

    Katana

    The picture of the "Toledo" blade also appears to be a modern replica as well, which is a copy based on the original swords of days gone by. It too is a pattern welded blade, it is not an authentic Damascus steel blade. You can go online and buy those replica blades for only several hundred dollars, they are a very popular tourist items, and military folks pick them up while on leave as well. Additionally, many absolutely just like that can be found on several other sword collector forums for sale. Mark
  24. MHC

    Katana

    I do believe this type of look comes from what is called "pattern welded steel". Which is simply multiple thin layers of same/similar steel that have been stacked together, edge tack welded together, then heated and hammer forged together, WITHOUT any folding occurring. The slight difference in layer colors, mainly comes from the surface skin carbon/scale that is present on each individual layer of thin steel that has been stacked together. The surface impurities show up after hammer forging has fussed the individual sheets together. You can clearly see the layered detail even in the nakago, which you never seen in a true Japanese sword. The layers only appear in a true Japanese sword after careful, proper polishing. My .02 worth. Mark
  25. MHC

    Any guesses?

    Hello Jacques, It's not a round hole that gives away a drilled hole (usually), it's the perfectly symmetric, evenly pushed out burr on the back side, that is still very thin but still has a crisp edge on the burr. An older punched hole would(should) have aged by now, without a thin sharp burr still remaining. But it's just an observation from a small photo, so....... Mark
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