Chishiki

Hi. Is there a kanji under that habaki? The 1st visible kanji reads Tane followed by a Kao. So your mei is probably Naotane with Kao. A big name and yours doesn't look right for a number of reasons. There is the starting point for you. Info comes from Colin McDonald. Regards Mark

The centrepiece of the gallery display is a recently acquired artwork. It's a very interesting piece. Here is the link provided by the Art Gallery of NSW. http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collec ... .2014.a-h/ Mark

I am pleased to announce that a major display of swords, fittings and armour has opened in the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Colin has excelled himself again to now have TWO major displays running at the same time at two of the leading galleries in Australia. New South Wales and the National Gallery of Victoria. I was lucky enough to be with Colin when the display was installed and saw how painstakingly demanding he was of himself to get the display right. It looks great and hope that Australian Collectors can get there for a review. This display opened on October 25 and will go for 1 year. Please note that the Display at the NGV will finish of the 4th of November, so Melbourne collectors don't miss out. Thanks again to Colin for presenting another quality display, great to be part of it. Regards Mark

Update, On Saturday the 6th Colin gave a floor talk at the National Gallery of Victoria covering the sword as art. It was very well attended and met with a round of applause at the conclusion. Andrew Ickeringill also attended the talk. Feedback from the Gallery has been great with them saying it has been the most popular short term (free to public) display so far. A reminder that the display will close November 4. Regards Mark

Greetings, Here is an update of the Bushido display at the National Gallery of Victoria (NVG). The feedback from the Gallery has been excellent, the display being a very popular attraction. Floor talks by NGV staff have been a hit, covering many aspects of samurai life. Colin has made himself available to collectors for a meetup and chat at the NGV. Anyone from the NMB who would like a personal tour of the collection can pm me and I will arrange a time and date to meet Colin at the Gallery. This is a great opportunity to get a first hand explanation as to why some swords are viewed as Art. Regards Mark

Hi everyone. The display at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) opened on the 4th of July and will run to the 4th of November. The swords, fittings and some of the armour at the NVG are another contribution to the pursuit of swords as Art by Colin McDonald and like minded collectors. This blends in with the long running successful display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which has spanned 12 years or more. Here is the link to the Sydney Display. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4666&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=90 The NVG (National Gallery of Victoria) has a website link at http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/exhi ... he-samurai Any specific questions or requests for photos can be directed to Colin and myself at the about Sword Display link. Thanks Jim P for the start of the discussion and we are happy you enjoyed the exhibition. Kind Regards Mark

Hi everyone, I am very happy to announce that the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has opened its 'Bushido' Exhibition which will run from July 4th to November 4th. Congratulations go to Colin McDonald who was the man behind the 'swords as art' display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and now the National Gallery of Victoria. The NGV website link can be found here. http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/exhi ... he-samurai I know Colin worked hard on his part of the display. We hope you can get along and if you are based overseas feel free to ask questions or request photos. Kind Regards Mark The first pic is Colin himself talking to a collector (we hope) of the future.

Important notice regarding the sword display and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. About the 28th of April the display will be taken down to make way for a different gallery exhibit. The word display will eventually go back in but maybe not until next year. Please get along and view it while you can. If anyone has a reasonable camera it would be nice if you can post some pics here. Regards Mark

Hi Sergei. Check out this thread regarding this type of tsuba. Regards Mark. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8047

Hi. My guess is Nagamura Kiyonobu. Fuller and Gregory ref: 192. Mark

I think likely signed 'kaifu ju tomohisa'. Mark...I could be wrong. and was,,,no books and too many of these.. chris is spot on

Yes. Research Kaifu School. That should be the mei on the blade. Mark

Hi. For assembling pill boxes using fuchi gashira? Mark

Hi David, thanks for sharing this experience. Ford is right, learning as a community...I like that. Cheers! Mark

Chris Bowen... Here is an Osaka Shinshinto blade by Masataka in sashikomi polish. (same camera and loc) BTW, if you read my original post I acknowledge that hadori is regarded as superior in bringing out the jihada. Sashikomi is our preference. George Trotter.. . You write like a true scholar, a good discussion. BTW the 1st pics (in original thread) are the Horikawa Kuniyasu, Juyo Token, and a published sword in Japan. The 2nd is an Osaka Shinto katana by Tadashige. (tokubetsu hozon). Mark

Hi all, I think a top grade sashikomi polish is every bit as good as a top grade hadori polish, positives and negatives of each already noted. Almost all the swords that have been displayed in the Art Gallery of New South Wales are in sashikomi polish done by a Mukansa level togishi. It was Colin who sought out a polisher who could do correct sashikomi. The preference for this polish is just that, a preference. Between sword collectors the appreciation of a sword is the same regardless of the style of polish as long as it's a top grade polish and you know how to view the sword correctly. BUT when showing a sword to someone not experienced in using an incandescent light globe and a certain amount of neck twisting then the sashikomi is better. The swords in shashikomi display better behind glass.. A great number of swords we see on dealer sites are lower quality budget hadori and I think this is where the water or should I say the ‘hamon’ starts to get murky. Lower quality polishes range from competent down to terrible, and lower grade hadori polishes are dreadful. Is hadori used to conceal flaws/problems in swords? Yes it is. The point made about sashikomi not enhancing the jihada as well as hadori inspired me to quickly take a few pics of two swords in shashikomi. I used my cell phone so the pics aren’t great but I think show why people should be careful how they interpret comments on this point. I don’t see that the presentation of hada in either of these two swords is lacking because they are in sashikomi. Are there polishers in Japan who can do correct sashimomi? Yes there are. Don’t dismiss this style of polish as inferior. Mark

Hi, the sekigane and nakago-ana are very crisp and fresh looking. My guess is modern (since meiji). Mark

Kodzuka I think reads 'Yanagawa Naomasa" + kao. Not the same maker as the other fittings. Mark

The sword display went back into the Art Gallery of New South Wales on the 18th of Sept. Regards Mark

The new display will be set up on the 18th/19th of September. I will update you with a list of items closer to that date. Mark

and they all lived happily ever after. Good Result. The End!

Hi Justin. My best suggestion is to seek further opinions whilst the sword is still in Japan. Have your agent contact a recognized appraiser such as Tanobe (does he still do appraisals independent of the NBTHK (sayagaki?), or Fujishiro?. Or get him to take it back to the the NBTHK and seek clarification. It depends how far you want to take your research. For what it's worth I think the sword is not Koto. Regards Mark

Update. New display will take place in September, not August. Stay tuned... Mark

Hi all, now moved to the 16th of May due to a special open weekend at the Art Gallery over 12th and 13th. Mark.

The display will be temporarily removed from the Art Gallery on the 10th of May until some time in August when the new display will go in. So get along and see it while you can. Mark