Pete Klein

Brian - I couldn't have done better myself!!! LOL

Stephen - you are most welcome. The lacquer fills are close to the hitsuana at ~ 1:30 and 6:30. They are darker and shiny.

This one has two old lacquer repairs on the omote. This is a very old tsuba:

https://www.nihonto.com/miyamoto-musashi%e3%80%80/

No papers. I checked the sales page: http://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_kogatana&tousougu&youhin.html#fuchi

Masatsune was the founder of the Ishiguro ha so big name = big price. His works are always expensive BUT I have serious reservations about the mei which I find has multiple issues. This set would have to have Tokubetsu Hozon paper for that price. I have doubts it would achieve shoshin but would be happy to be proven incorrect.

Here - Somen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sōmen If by chance you were referring to Yokoya Somin - the founder of Machibori - then I hope you are incredibly rich as fittings by him are amongst the most expensive extant.

Lord of the Rings meets The Wizard of Oz...

'Exiled'? Is that as in being thrown out, asked to leave, being shown the door or perhaps 'summarily expunged'? Of course, it could also refer to a state of 'self imposed exile' where one chooses not to associate further due to any number of rationale or circumstances. This reminds me of a wonderful line from the movie, 'Victor/Victoria' where Robert Preston's character 'Toddy' quips, "Please... Being thrown out of this place is significantly better than being thrown out of a leper colony".

You might consider shinsa but it will have fees involved: https://nihontoantiques.com/nthk-shinsa-2019/ It is at the beginning of March. The NYTK meeting was last Sunday so you should write them via their web site to see when/where the next will be.

I'd love to have this tsuba...!

The one on the floor in the john is vicuña...

I bet these are modern and quite possibly made in China.

Nick - when you are at the Chicago show Mark can introduce you to Mr. Fred Weissberg and Mr. Robert Benson whose tables are next to Mark's and who have decades of experience in these matters. They can give you an idea of what is necessary if you should decide to export anything to Japan and any problems which might present. You will require an agent to send the sword if you wish NBTHK shinsa. The Yoshikawa NTHK will have a shinsa at the Tampa show the first weekend of March however I am not certain if Fred and/or Robert will be there this year.

I'm not sure if this was mentioned in this thread but if the koshirae does have baleen wrap then it should not be sent through US Customs as it may be confiscated and destroyed due to it being a whale product. If restoration is required it should be kept within the USA.

Dwain - no. San Fran show from time to time as well as Chicago and other shows. The shinsa are coordinated with the shows as they are mutually beneficial for attendance. This actually brings up a concern of mine (and others) that with declining attendance to the shows the day may come that they may close then the shinsa may very well cease to occur here in the USA also. Food for thought.

https://nihontoantiques.com/nthk-shinsa-2019/

Very good idea. Good luck with it!

To be honest I'd go for it just as long as it was all done professionally AND that you realize that you will most likely never retrieve your investmant in the koshirae. As you live in Miami why not run it past Mo Becerra who is in the area? https://nihontoantiques.com/

Steve - thanks for trying. I do appreciate your taking the time and making the effort. Have a great New Year! Pete

"Name - Kurosu" basically 'ca-ross-u' along the line of 'che-ese-u'.

https://www.google.com/search?q=15th+century+sail+designs&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CfDE2cn2QrUTIjieE8tnC1l36dUSlh0i-qNB076w-LhcB2C27kfcn-edhLnJia_1nKDrCbK4Mr65t0PVi7hzKkBZI9CoSCZ4Ty2cLWXfpEVDhSbFgXyFzKhIJ1RKWHSL6o0ERcP7WUqxgV_1AqEgnTvrD4uFwHYBHeTq_1K4epzuCoSCbbuR9yf552EETlKPVGK1CnPKhIJucmJr-coOsIRk8lOvihBGNAqEglsrgyvrm3Q9RFZvjProiVDgyoSCWLuHMqQFkj0EZx6apFHTjJ_1&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjHg7DwqcrfAhXxzVkKHYyQCFUQ9C96BAgBEBs&biw=1920&bih=931&dpr=1 a thought...

Hi - I would greatly appreciate it if someone could translate this hakogaki for me. Thanks so much!

From Grey's site: The early book focus on older pieces: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b1033-kinko-mino-bori-kokubo-kenichi The best comprehensive book for tosogu: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b971-tokubetsu-ten-kinko-mino-bori Tsuba only: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b1022-mino-tsuba-zuikan