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Mushin

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Everything posted by Mushin

  1. I once shipped a tango from the U.S. to a collector in Poland and ran into the same problem. We ended up listing the blade on the customs form as an antique kitchen knife. I could imagine, though, that dealers and shippers in Japan might have an issue relabeling a sword because of export permits and requirements. Perhaps you have a friend in Germany or elsewhere that can be used as a transshipment point? Good luck and please let us know how you work out the issue.
  2. May I ask how long has it been stuck there? In cases where we see swords hit Customs and stall, quick action is needed. Go to your local USPS office and enlist their help in tracking the package. Call the ICS facility in LA as well. Be prepared to make noise. The issue of thefts has been a growing problem and fast action is the only hope in getting your package. Also encourage you to get pictures out of the blade so fellow collectors can help. I have had two coming from Japan through Queens in NY stolen. They simply hit Customs and that was it. A keen-eyed friend spotted the last stolen sword on Reddit website and I ended up having to buy it back from the person who "bought it" in a USPS auction in Atlanta. This piece supposedly lost its labels and ended up on the auction block a mere three weeks after clearing customs. Problem is, USPS rules say the agency is supposed to investigate defaced packages and can only auction the goods after 90 days. In the end it was a happy story as the insurance from the stolen package covered the buy back. But the first package vanished. EMS is a crap shoot these days. If the piece is valuable it is worth paying more to send it by UPS, that is if the dealer in Japan has an arrangement with them. But the problem of thefts has gotten so bad, I have shied away from buying from Japanese dealers because of the stress. Good luck.
  3. Hey folks! I am looking for a decent futokoromono -- menuki and kozuka -- with a tiger theme or better tiger and bamboo. should be suitable for a ko-wakizashi. Please feel free to contact me. Best, Bobby
  4. Long before he was named Imperial Household Artist, Miyamoto Kanenori made this tanto on the eve of the first major battle of the Boshin War, namely the battle of Toba-Fushimi that occurred between pro-Imperial and the Tokugawa shogunate forces The battle started on 27 January 1868 when the forces loyal to the Tokugawa and the allied forces of Satsuma, Tosa and Choshu domains that supported Emperor Meiji. The battle lasted for four days, ending in a decisive defeat for the shogunate. It was one of the first battles which pitted samurai armed with swords and spears against samurai with modern weaponry. That fact and the date have been inscribed on the nakago for posterity. Truly a rare piece of samurai history.
  5. Does anybody have and are willing to part with The Influence of Masamune, a paperback from 2004 by the NBTHK America Branch? It was the catalogue from an exhibition that was put on by the NBTHK/AB at the San Francisco show that year. Please PM me if you have one and are willing to let it go. Many thanks, Bobby
  6. Or a mouse menuki would work for me, too. Thanks all!
  7. Hey folks, Trying to put together fittings for a tanto koshirae. Anybody out there have and willing to part with crane mon or radish-themed menuki? I have seen some over the months but nothing suitable for tanto mounts. So frustrating! Thanks for your attention! Bobby
  8. Got one! Hasebe Kunishige!!! If you imagine it, it will happen!
  9. Hozon to Tokubetsu Hozon would be fine. Signed preferably and in decent to excellent good condition. Feel free to reach out.Thanks!
  10. Hey folks! We are trying to restart the Florida Token Kai down here in the Sunshine State but are looking to also cover the Southeastern U.S. We have been kicking around some new names, when a friend suggested staying away from using the word "sword" as it can cause problems if we were to try to organize an event at a community center or a hotel as this could create some liability issues for them. Has anybody had such an experience? Look forward to your thoughts and experiences. Thanks!
  11. Sage words. Thanks Brian. Still working on those pix!
  12. Funny mei? Is that the same as Gimei? If so why use the name of a smith that is completely unknown? Curious.
  13. Hey Jacques, Any of your books reference this smith? Wonder what year that day in the seventh month was? I think the tanto is shinshinto but could be wrong. Still working on those pix.
  14. Thanks James. I am trying to take pictures of the blade itself but I can't get them to come out right. I keep getting the reflection of camera in the polish and can't get the angle to bring out the hamon and ji-hada. Is there a secret to snapping pictures of swords? I would love to know how they get those long detailed shots on AOI Art. I will try to post some of the better of the bad pix up later today. Anyway, back on topic, does "shichi gatsu hi", mean a lucky day in July? Thanks
  15. Greetings all, Here's a tanto that belonged to my grandfather and was left to me. I know very little about it. I just got it out of storage while on a trip to New York and am trying to translate the mei. Unfortunately, I'm not doing very well. I think one side says "a Lucky Day in July" and the mei is Katsu (???) something. I just can't figure out the other characters. Can any body help? I posted the pictures here. http://s476.photobucket.com/albums/rr130/Mushin_photos/?action=view&current=IMG_0371.jpg http://s476.photobucket.com/albums/rr130/Mushin_photos/?action=view&current=IMG_0368.jpg It's the first time I have used Photobucket and this camera so I got my fingers crossed that it works. I tried to post the pix here but the files were too big. All tips on the translation and the joys of technology are greatly appreciated. Thanks
  16. Gents, Bought books, read the ones in English, struggled with the ones in Japanes, parsed the forum, took your advice to heart and have bit the bullet and bought my first nihonto. I'll post more about it later -- as soon as I get my digital camera working again. But in the meantime my question now involves the origami. The sword comes with a NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho certificate. Now I remember reading here in snippets and having had conversations with other collectors about the need to be careful with "old" papers. One post I recall mentioned mei with old papers almost always equals gimei. What are the dangers of old papers? Are there signs to look out for? Rules of thumb? Do old (green) NBTHK papers fall into the "danger Will Robinson" category? Thanks to all.
  17. Not easy sending your sword into the UK though for work though, is it?
  18. Can anybody recommend one? Thanks, Bobby
  19. Does anybody know the smith? Was he known for eccentric hamons?
  20. Hello all, Could you help me figure this one out? http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/wakizashi/08268.html Is this hamon suguha choji midare? Or is it a kind of koshi-no hirata midare with choji midare? Tsuruta-san on his description just says it's three parts surged gunomemidare. The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords on page 257 says that the hamons of the Yamashiro wing of the Chizuken Nobukuni school during this period were chu suguha and choji midare mixed with koshi-no hirata midare. Is that what this is? How would you guys describe it? As always, thanks. Bobby
  21. Hello all, Just curious, does anybody know if a sword with an orikaeshi mei (Muromachi era with Hozon papers) stands a chance at getting a Tokubetsu Hozon at shinsa? Or does its altered length and folded signature proclude it from getting to the next level? Thanks, Bobby
  22. Ok, so I have a question: looking at this offering, and the one in Jacques’ oshigata. as well as the sanbongsugi on the Shinshinto Sukesada and the straight hamon here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3408 I am wondering if there’s such a thing as a typical Yokoyama school hamon? I understand that the school specialized in choji midare of crowded blossoms and featured yakidashi in the hamon, but am I wrong to assume that Yokoyama smiths experimented with lots of hamon styles? Were these perhaps made to different clients orders? Thanks, Bobby
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