Pete Klein

Tosa Myochin.

Tea utensils under Rikyu => tea utensils under Oribe... Noh => Kabuki... Laurence Olivier => Rowan Atkinson... ... ROFLMFAO!

Ford - I have for some time wondered if the actual source for these tsuba was in 'kabukimono' as these tsuba would go well with that style of dress and deportment (or lack thereof): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono

Go to Haynes pg 103, 'Denshichi' => Shigetsune 8531 => Haynes pg. 1690: Shigetsune, Shoami -- (aka) Denshichi.

Yes, it probably was Aoi as I know it wasn't DB's. I remember that I really liked it but, as we all know there's always just so much money. You have an excellent FK!

Matt - which dealer site was that FK listed on? I can't remember. (this getting old gig is a pain)!

http://yakiba.com/Tsuba_Ko-Kinko_Shells.htm I thought it looked familiar. It used to be mine. CC -- probably four/five years ago at Tampa show.

Chris - the field of tosogu involves hundreds if not thousands of texts in Japanese, English and other languages and there really isn't any one size fits all text to recommend. There is also going to be a cost issue for you as shipping to NZ is going to be expensive on top of the cost of the book(s). I would suggest starting with basic searches (Google, Facebook, etc.) so you can see if there is a particular area which piques your interest. Look over the listings on Grey Doffin's site, read the descriptions and view the pictures. It will give you an idea of what is out there so that when you know where you wish to start you can find the best route to purchase. http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/Books

http://www.unicode.org/cgi-bin/GetUnihanData.pl?codepoint=9b3c Finally found 'Ki' (or 'oni'): Haruaki Hogen no Zu Kigen Kao (design from work by Haruaki Hogen, made by Kigan (kao). I can't find anything on this maker so by the workmanship (the carving of the mei is somewhat crude) my best guess would be an unknown or possibly amateur maker. Perhaps someone else will find something more definitive.

The right column is Haru Aki Ho Gen -- 'To' - I'm not sure as to which pronunciation but I believe it means 'design'. I cannot make out the first kanji of the name as it seems to be poorly/improperly cut but the rest would probably be - gen and then the kao.

and now for something completely different:

Tom - OK, that's a great book to have (and damn near impossible to find these days) as it is the updated version and also has some entries not found in the much larger Wakayama, 'Toso Kodogu Meiji Taikei'. The Wakayama text has 23 pages devoted to Ichijo with ~ three to five examples per page. Tony - I enlarged the image in the first post and it does compare to one of the examples in Wakayama along with the one immediately above but I see some issues with the flow of the carving being too rounded where Ichijo tended toward more angular changes in direction along with some other fine points. I am not saying it is gimei but I feel this is one of those 'really needs an NBTHK paper' examples. When it comes to big names you really need that back up. I've seen 'way' too many examples (most of which on Yahoo! Japan) of such items with wonderful custom boxes and hakogaki which were gimei. Caveat Emptor.

Tony - I am curious as to how you are certain the mei (red background) above are shoshin? Papers? Tom - please, what is the publish date of the Kinko Meikan you mention?

This is papered Tokubetsu Hozon to 'Heianjo Zogan' which is the actual name for them:

Go to the pharmacy and purchase face masks to wear during applications.

Jussi - yes, that is a problem. The Tampa show used to be in early February so it was two and a half months to Chicago which wasn't all that bad. At some point this is going to turn into just two shows as this has gotten unrealistic. The Tampa show has been fading for years and it probably should have been moved to an earlier month 'but' then you get issues with winter storms causing travel problems. There are a lot of East Coast people who won't go to the San Fran show due to the distance and now the costs are getting up there as well. We'll just have to see how the market decides. Stephen - yeah, I understand totally. I had to retire recently because of similar issues but also with my back, neck and shoulders. I couldn't do it any more. Dentistry is a Mother XXXXXX! I stopped driving to Tampa five or six years ago because my legs would go numb after three hours. This is not conducive to safe driving...! LOL The nice thing was that I could fly there in 45 minutes and the price was inexpensive so well worth it.

Stephen - you need to go to the Chicago Show. It's a lot closer to home for you and is actually quite reasonable. http://www.chicagoswordshow.com/

Link to Atlanta show homepage: https://www.southeastshowsauctions.com/atlanta-2020.html

Robert - that helped but this is all I could find. It's from Shinsen Kinko Meikan pg. 135. I could not find this in Haynes and I'm hesitant on it being the same maker but the mei is difficult to make out. Yamashiro Kuni no Ju Umetada Shigeyoshi:

I believe the theme is Sansai - Spring Mountain Vegetables - very bitter but loved as the first fresh produce of the year. I enlarged it but I cannot make out the mei. "The KOZUKA is signed on the OMOTE" Please be aware that it signed on the 'ura', not the omote which is the front with the design.

For you, Ford:

Well Curran, come next March you'll have your chance in Atlanta. Please see my Tampa thread.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/29782-Japan-festival-in-atlanta-this-weekend/ link to Shannon's post

In that the festival has been around for ~33 years I'd say yes, it's probably been looked into and in that it's never been done, well - therein lies your answer. Now then, the basic problem is cost, which would be prohibitive. Second, as weaponry of ANY kind is prohibited, it's not possible unless you go off site. To do that you would probably have to use the Embassy Suites which is adjacent and again would be cost prohibitive for that weekend in that their show rooms would be booked by large corporations and their rooms sold at a premium and most likely booked a year in advance if not more. The people who book for tables at the existing sword shows are already complaining about fees so no one is going to pay more. Finally, there is also an issue that you really don't want a large crowd at a sword show as it's too dangerous and the chance of theft escalates dramatically. Seriously, who in their right mind is going to put tens of thousands of bucks worth of goods on a table where anyone could snapgrab? Unfortunately, it just wouldn't work. PS: I've been going to and exhibiting at practically every major US sword show for the last sixteen years so I do have some experience here. PPS: the major dealers go to the DTI at the end of October so they would be unwilling to attend as they were just at the San Fran show. This is why there haven't been Fall shows in years.

Bob - #16 is Yamashiro Kuni no Ju - Tada Shige - .