Pete Klein

Yup - and just think how much real sword polishers make fixing their mistakes. Oh well, as Darth Sidious once said,

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tojiru-20ml-Pre-Made-Uchigumori-Paste-for-Japanese-sword-polishing/112701024583?hash=item1a3d812947:g:jNMAAOSw-0xYgO8B

I would like to see this one in hand. I was studying it on line from your source. Interesting piece.

I would imagine yaki ire is being confused with yakita shitate. Again, not much basis in fact as to the technique as Ford has written on in the past.

Scriptures!! Son -- you betta see the light! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbq0OuJtErs

Henry - don't you think it's a bit too thin for Ono? Early Edo Owari perhaps?

Interesting. Several years ago when I noticed this bidder overbidding on auctions I came up with the nickname, "wei bother" as this bidder has what amounts to unlimited funding so that if he wants something he just keeps on bidding until he wins. I've only seen two times where he gave up but of course I haven't watched every auction he's bid on. What I have now seen on many occasions after a couple years of his activity is that when he starts bidding, which is usually close to the end of the auction, and the other bidders see who is now bidding they just stop as they pretty much know it is a futile effort. This is what I have come to call the 'wei effect'. (lol) This is probably what happened this morning. I was busy with another auction so couldn't follow this one closely. It really didn't matter anyway as the seller of this tsuba doesn't allow proxy bid systems into his auction so unless you have an account you were probably incapable of bidding anyway. I'm not sure if this includes Buyee as they are aligned directly with Yahoo! Japan. I need to look into that one day.

"The large sword guard was purposely made with no seppa-dai (space for hilt base and spacers) or hitsu-ana (holes for the kozuka and kogai) as it was made for appreciation only and never intended for use". For me, I'd take the Tomei Dai Sho set.

SW: "and will remain so" Who knows? Probably should be, 'and will most likely remain so'. I'm an optimist.

Yes - DTI 2010 catalog. Will most likely be picked up by 'wei bother' for a small fortune.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/yoshimichi1/m.html?item=273064537317&hash=item3f93ea2ce5%3Ag%3AQm4AAOSw2Bxaf73K&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562 Link to both. When searching by item number you need to use the 'advanced' page. The tab is to the right of the search section top page, then click 'by item number'. https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sop=10&_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Japanese+sword+book&_sofindtype=4

Jeremiah - what do you consider, 'real light'?

If you reference Satsuma tsuba you will find the majority of higher level works do not have the udenuki ana. The ana which you often do see are like these:

Please read the comments... (lol)! PS: I tend to emulate this architect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Mies_van_der_Rohe

"Speaking of fittings, if I may, what are your feelings on the overly aggressive "restoration" of kodogu. Is the article in question still an honest representation of the creators work? At what point does a piece become unacceptable.....at what point does restoration become ressurection? As you know the market is fickle, what is deemed acceptable today could cost dearly tomorrow". StevenK ​Resurrection. An interesting way of putting it. These are good questions the answer to which is, it depends. (Don't you just love that cop out)? LOL Anyway, to me if something has to be 'aggressively' restored then it 'probably' isn't 'shoshin' any more. There are times when a patina can be restored so that you cannot tell it had even been touched which I would say would be fine. The number of items you see in this field which have been at least 'touched up' are the majority. I used to be quite orthodox on this subject but came to understand that there are so many items which have been worked on that to find one in absolutely original and pristine condition is akin to trying to find an old, 'high level' sword which has never been polished. A bit of an overstatement but perhaps you get my point. I like what Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin fame once said; "The fish is the star of the plate. Everything we do is to 'elevate' the fish". IOW's if the restoration alters and diminishes the item then it is not appropriate. If the restoration 'elevates' the piece, 'resurrects' (brings it back to life) then it may be appropriate. The reality is that there are nuances involved here so making blanket statements would be umwise. ​PS: too often I see posts here where the owner of an item immediately wants to restore. In nine out of ten circumstances the item is either not worth the effort or the item would be diminished. A skilled restorationist such as Ford knows the difference and will advise accordingly.

https://yuhindo.com/ha/catfishing/ This explains a few matters I've encountered over the last few years as to fittings. It pertains to them as well. 2/10/18: I edited the link.

2,062,000円 -- winner got a bargain.

For those unfamiliar this is an auction on Yahoo! Japan which ends Sunday at 8:44 AM EST USA. The current price is 418,000 Yen (around $3900) but it has four days to go and will go up. The auction is listed as being able to be closed early and extended past the close. Should be interesting to see how this one goes as these blades go for big buckage in Japan. PS: John -- Bidding start 10,000 Yen 開始価格 ：10,000 円

Ono Yoshimitsu's katana 'pre-owned' generally sell for around 3 million yen and new around double that and higher.

One for all you Big Bucks Daddies: https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w216615843

What you are seeing is the cloth on the holder impinging upon the mune.

http://www.nihonto.com/newsfeed/

Seems the boys at Aoi can't make it out either: https://www.aoijapan.com/tsuba-mumei-some-design-2 I believe it is a stylized flower blossom with leaves, possibly a peony. The circle is the central corona.

This is a very good article on koshirae: http://www.nihonto.com/uchigatana-koshirae/ PS: if your saya is early and is for katana the 'omote' or outside slot would be for a kogai, Kogai pre-dated kozuka/kogatana as koshirae implements. Accessory knives were carried in their own side pouch early on. The dai-sho koshirae was really more of a late Muromachi/Momoyama to Edo invention. Guido Schiller is the go to guy on this field of study.

I'd say Kyo Shoami take off of the Hayashi Broken Fan motif.