Pete Klein

Hirado Kunishige of Hizen and yes it's quite possibly a Dai Sho as the suguta does not have to be the same. I have seen matched sets of differing shapes before. This is just as the hamon can be simple for the Dai and more flamboyant for the Sho. The theme should be the same although technically if the koshirae is original to the Dai Sho and does not exctly match it is still a Dai Sho. The blades make the set. Now will it 'paper'? LOL

http://nihonto.com/7.3.06.html

http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/tsuba.htm

Those are from cat. #2, #178. I have them on consignment with Mr. Quirt. Pictures really can't do them justice unfortunately. The carving and detail require a loupe to appreciate. Dr. Compton had an innate sense of taste of the highest caliber.

This is from Fujishiro Shinto Hen. I believe it is the mei you are looking for. Unfortunatley I had to crop it to allow it to be uploaded but the mei is as in the book.

Congratulations on a great site! This was a lot of work and I am sure that it will be of use to many. I personally am very thankful for the translation of the 'Tsuba no Bi' as it will helps me greatly. Thank you again! Pete Klein

http://www.nihontoantiques.com/gallery.htm Shiny is anathema. For an excellent example of the colour of old silver fittings go to the fittings gallery section and check out the fuchi/kashira. (stop drooling Ken)

Hi Milt -- something I don't understand about the room rate. It said in the advertisments for the show that reservations should be made by March 31st for the special room rate. It didn't say 'limited number available'. Also I am curious if the reservation fees for the shinsa are refundable if you can't go. It does not say in the ads. If you know anything about these issues please let me (us) know.

High huh -- methinks birdie tis not alone! LOL

Are you sure it's not chidori? Awful small for karigane.

I had a feeling I'd seen this somewhere recently. It is in Tsuba-no-bi. I've also seen it with the nunome but I can't find it in my references yet. Possibly it was on a sales site at some point. This is attributed to mid-Edo.

My gut hunch on this piece is Kyo Shoami. The kaku mimi is atypical of Kyo (although not unheard of) and the theme is a bit more Shoami. Metal is hard to tell from the scan but the larger rounded shape of the seppadai and heavier hitsu ana sukashi are a bit more Shoami along with the drop in the carving of the sukashi from the mimi. The hitsu ana form -- the kogai-bitsu being somewhat smaller than the kozuka and a bit narrowed in form make me think early Edo. I have a feeling it originally had gold nunome on the umbrella surface as accent which would also be Kyo Shoami (the metal has a somewhat grayed look and I've noticed this on pieces from which the gold has been lost, possibly due to the method of attachment -- hakutokin perhaps with the graying from the mercury -- also there is no crosshatching apparent). Just some random thoughts -- the papers from that era sometimes reflect an older thinking so the attribution might be off to today's.

I can definitely see you point of view, especially if you are around six feet tall. Many swords are really too short for we 'taller' western types. Not having it in hand it is difficult to ascertain but it looks as if the 'scratches' are in the monouchi region only which would lend credence to my thought that it has been used of late for practice. Also it has a bit of that 'Mino' look to the hamon and they were known for their sharpness. I would have to say enjoy! Thirty inches with original koshirae -- nice find.

Just a little observation on the nakago. If you look at the pics from the link you can see on the ha surface where the tsuba rests the metal is shiny and worn. I am suspecting that this has been in use for cutting and that there might be some play in the fit of the tsuba as if this had not been used for at least 150 years that shouldn't be there -- it should be the same rust as the rest of the nakago. Perhaps it would also explain the condition of the polish as cutting targets quickly leads to scratches. Just doing some Sherlock Holmes work here but it would make sense.

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lfse ... leID=20909 Quite a few interesting items, especially fittings. Starts on page seven with armour. I think the estimates are a bit low on the better pieces but you never know.

No prob -- lots of time today and it was an interesting challenge to find it. Milt -- that's a great piece. Collecting those clasps is a hobby unto itself. I've seen some magnificent examples in the auction catalogs and one can see how you could move from menuki to those as an artist as the techniques are identical.

from 'Legend In Japanese Art' by Henri Joly, 1908 (first edition). Hankwai -- The Chinese Fen Kw'ai, who died circa 200 BC (E). He is generally represented carrying under his arm a door, in allusion to an episode of his life which is variously reported. He was drawn from the lower class of the Chinese people, having been a dog butcher, but being one of the early adherents of the Han dynasty he became one of the ministers of the Emperor Han Kao Tsu (Kao Ti; Japanese, Kan no Koso), and became further attached to him when Kan no Koso married one of his relatives. One version has it that Kao Yy was plotting against the life of the Emperor, and Hankwai having heard that the conspirators were assembled in a rooom feasting with Kan no Koso, he forced his way to it, and bursting open the door entered the room with the door under his arm. The Emperor invited him to partake of the feast, and Hankwai helped himself to a boar's leg, which he carved with his own sword and washed down with ten shos (20 litres) of wine, after which he accused Kao Yu of treason, playing the role of a drunken man to give Kan no Koso time to escape with Chang Liang (Ehon Riozai, Ehon Hokan). During the following year the aged Emperor raised him to the command of his troops, but on an accusation being made against him ordered his minister, Ch'en Ping, to have Hankwai beheaded. Thanks to his relationship with the Empress, he escaped after a short confinement in jail, being reinstated after the Emperor's demise. (etc). pg. 110, picture page inbetween 126 & 127, image taken from, see scan.

Bravo Rich!!!

Hi Milt -- the Kao is wrong -- look at the bottom right curvature. There are two variations and the one on the Yahoo site isn't the same. BTW I have talked to Jim on this subject and the meikan was updated to reflect the latest evidence on authenticity. They weren't dropped for space limitation. This is also one of the problems with earlier hako gaki. They didn't have the meikan forty years ago (and earlier) so a lot was done by feeling and overall workmanship. Unfortunately that doesn't always work so well.

I think it would be best to just buy the new edition of the Meikan. If you have the old one you can compare notes between them but the new one correlates with the Haynes volumes and descriptions and has added pictures, not just deletions so trying to do a corrections write-up would be difficult at best.

Pretty much it. They request you submit to Japan for Yushu as they will not give that outside of Japan so that would be the only need to re-submit. That doesn't happen too often. You're pretty lucky if you ever get in the low eighties actually.

Well, first of all the NBTHK does not issue worksheets, only the NTHK and then only with their US shinsas. Try this link: http://nihonto.ca/ratings.html Darcy did a great job describing all of the main rating systems and it should answer your questions.

http://page16.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/u9339851 This is an interesting example of where you need to keep up with your research. This tsuba is apparently by Araki Tomei, renowned for his method of creating millet heads in gold. It has old Tokubetsu Kicho papers and the mei to be found in the old kinko meikan. However, this mei is no longer in the new meikan, and if you study the form of the millet heads they do not have the typical Tomei characteristics. I am bringing this to your attention as good reason to be skeptical of the older papers and to always double check you references, and to keep abreast of new literature. Opinions change with new research so never be afraid to question. IMHO. Haynes pg. 1951-2 NCJSC Kinko Meikan translation pg. 72 Old Kinko Meikan pg. 255-6 New " " pg. 215 BTW -- the last tsuba I saw by him cost $40,000 and it was mumei!

I think it's also important to mention that it is these same guys who run the shows, are board members on the organizations such as the NBTHK-AB, NCJSC, JSSUS, and others, who set up the displays, run the kanteis, give the lectures, bring the high end swords for displays, etc. I need to mention this to give those who are not able to attend these shows but who are reading this a fair idea of the format. I think all kidding aside that often the problem with displaying at table is it is simply too easy to have something damaged. A simple rub on a juyo level sword would require thousands in polishing to restore not to mention the time involved and risk in transit. All said I think it only fair to give a big thanks to all of them for their hard work and huge investment so that those of us not so lucky to be able to afford these wonderful pieces can at least look and learn.

Folks -- please understand (again) that this is just my point of view but it comes from many (too many unfortunately LOL) years in various fields of collecting. When you go to a collectors 'show' it is not a store. It is a group of collectors (if you want to go to a 'Dealers' show then go to the Dai Token Ichi) who gather to be together, compare their collections, finds, stories, and otherwise hob-nob with their fellow wizards. Oh yes -- and sometimes sell something. Part of the game is to become part of the group. No matter which field you are involved in whether it be coins, stamps, guns, Barbie Dolls, whatever, there will always be items 'hidden' from view which are 'revealed' to that 'special' collector as if by magic. It's part of the game. You need to be patient, introduce yourself around, make freinds, connections, whatever and after awhile you will find the doors opening to you. Part of selling something important is to make the buyer feel important also. See those guys over there who asked that guy to sit 'behind' the table with them? Part of the game. He has been accepted into the 'club'. Maybe. These are just social dynamics in process. It's not personal but it can be if you don't want to play the game and want (aka demand) it all placed before you. Trust me, those dealers will pretty much just roll their eyes and whisper 'OK, another jerk', show you the item and then the ice will start forming around your extremities. Fellows, it takes time, so be willing to play by the rules. It can be a lot of fun. It can also be totally frustrating. But either way it's ultimately up to you. OK -- no charge. Now you can rip me apart. I'm going to Disney World.