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Hello: Excellent Pete. Thanks for the information. It is easy to lose track of who is doing what as some of those things go in fits and starts. The NBTHK discussion is great, but doesn't the kantei theme require an oshigata and physical description? Arnold F.

Hello: I ought to have mentioned that kantei contests do not have to be limited to shows, as they can be your "test" in print as well. The old English language Token Bijutsu of the NBTHK had such contests, with winning names published in the following issue, and both of the versions of the Nihon Token Hozon Kai, that of Yoshikawa Eichi, and NTHK (NPO) have very useful similar contests. They are worth the cost of subscription alone! Arnold F.

Hello: What an interesting thread prompted by Mr. Lee's question, and what a useful offering of responses! There is little I would disagree with and little I could add, however perhaps a little nudge of extrapolation from Mr. Lee's question might be helpful. My dictionary defines a connoisseur as follows: "...n., person having competent judgment in art and other matters of taste." I believe that is the end to which the sought sword knowledge is directed. The advice given makes clear that the road is long and steep, and winding and endless. Most of the advice given stresses the ways to attain the "competent judgment," but sets no benchmark as to knowing when one has arrived at a reasonable state of competence. An economist would say that the advice and discussion focuses on inputs, whereas the goal, competence, is an output. How does one know when that threshold has been crossed? There is no litmus test, and we can only infer attainment by the product of that knowledge. There are some really excellent connoisseurs outside of Japan - and for fear of omitting anyone, I can only say that some of the discussions of blades, smiths, traditions, etc. heard at the various so called meibutsu dialogues held at the sword shows are really so excellent that I am really taken aback and reminded of how little I know in comparison. There are also Western collectors, sometimes dealers, who have made real advances in our written understanding of the sword. Some of those articles go back for decades, others we see regularly in publications of the different sword clubs, particularly those of the JSS/US. We rarely hold kantei contests in the West, but there again, those who consistently score well, surely are competent connoisseurs of the sword. We even have one American, probably known to most NMB followers, who actually won a major Japanese NBTHK kantei contest, and that has to be very impressive. It should be a regular fixture of all the major shows for there to be a kantei contest, as there are undoubtedly many collectors "who have the knowledge" and who would score well, perhaps even surprising themselves! I do believe that there really are two qualitatively different and distinct groups who might be said to have gotten to the level of competent judgment: those that can read the relevant Japanese language literature and those who cannot. In recent years translation projects of the JSS/US and the translations available through the NBTHK, American Branch, have really opened Japanese language material with an outpouring of useful information, however translations only scratch the surface, and to be able to read, without limitation, the mountain of existing Japanese language material puts one at a distinctly higher level, at least potentially. Fortunately the useful writings of many Japanese scholars are available in translation, at least in part, and for that we must be very thankful. To mention just a few: Honnami Koson, Fujishiro Matsuo, Homma Junji (Kunzan), Sato Kanichi (Kanzan), Yoshikawa Koen, Tanobe Michihiro (Tanzan), will continue to teach as long as there is the printed word. Arnold F.

Hello: I am sorry that I do not have the Turnbull for ready reference Franco, and certainly as Mariusz said, the typing of naginata and nagimaki is fluid. I believe that Mariusz's points are all well taken and I don't think we can split hairs too finely. It just seems to me that the Aoi naginata isn't really typical in terms of form and the painting shown, while historically helpful, does not settle the issue, as if it could be settled at all. Personally speaking I am a fan of both naginata and nagamaki, and I do not fully understand the discount some of them sell for, unless one takes into consideration the problems of in house storage, handling and transportation that they can present. Arnold F.

Hello: While those early depictions can be useful, they certainly were for Sasano sensei, they are not really very accurate portrayals. The ones shown do not fit the Aoi sword, which has a much less exaggerated curvature towards the tip, and I am not sure they are naginata at all, and if so, they are not well drawn. All naginata that I have seen tend to swell towards the tip, and the shown "evidence" do not. From the implicit length of the shafts for those blades, one could argue that they are or could be nagamaki and not naginata. Arnold F.

Hello: While naginata with the shinogi line going to the kissaki are not unknown, they are certainly unusual. The shape at the upper extremes of the blade seems truncated rather unnaturally, and makes me wonder if the kissaki was not broken off at some point and salvaged as you see it. Arnold F.

Hello: Yes, an excellent show, and now it seems firmly established that there will be three key shows on each year's fixture card: Tampa, Chicago and San Francisco. Shows play a vital role for the collecting community, particularly if major dealers are present, and they were. Dealers play a vital role, not just as sellers, but also as buyers and they all carry a big bag of knowledge and experience, and generally they are willing to give good and insightful advice if asked. The show's location was easy to reach by car, free parking (not enjoyed everywhere), a nice hotel, near by restaurants, and gracious and helpful management by the show's promoters. I believe the Porpora/Jones show is transitioning to Mark Jones and he did a great job appreciated by everyone. The show floor was busy, new faces both in front of and behind tables. I had the impression that kodogu was still an important focus, as it had been in the last half-dozen years, but people seemed to be more wary of iron, it perhaps being somewhat over sold, particularly the "ko" anythings. Some nicely qualified and presented blades were seen on dealer's tables, and I understand the selling was fairly strong on Sunday. Yours truly was suffering from an extremely sore shoulder and hit the road first thing Sunday before the last frenzy. I went home without all the things brought, but went home with an extremely interesting blade. It is a slim ko-dachi, 24 1/2", made as a ko-dachi, considerable curvature, koshi-sori (slightly), a monouchi that is about straight for the first 9", ko-kissaki, ubu though somewhat suriage, the jihada is mokume, large, with rather nagare masame, lots of chikei, and utsuri; the yakiba is narrow and rather disorganized, nioi and nie, intact boshi, somewhat kaen, one kanji and perhaps another - both unclear. Two mekugi-ana. It will take further study to pin down, and restoration in Japan, however Heian is not a stretch. Stay tuned. Arnold F.

Hello: Just so there is no confusion about the wording in the above post, the tsuba mentioned as illustrated on p. 23, top center from the site Barry mentioned, is a copy of my former tsuba, not the original. It is close and cleverly done to look as old as the original. The original can be seen in the Newsletter of the JSS/US, Vol. 7, No. 5 (July-August, 1975), p.3. Arnold F.

Hello: Thought I had posted this early today, but off into the ether it went...??? Thanks for that posting Barry. Whether reproductions or fakes, quite amazing. I believe some of those trying to be ko-tosho or ko-katchushi are by far the most deceptive if one wanted to pawn them off as older. I was shocked to find a tsuba that had once been mine, "published" over here and then back to Japan, and now it appears as a reincarnation, though looking rather dead. It is page 23, top, center. Such material will doubtless have some economic effects as the very gentle slope of tosogu learning is now steeper. One would expect to see an increase in shinsa submissions of such and purchases conditional on shinsa confirmation. Arnold F.

Hello: Some years ago, when the NTHK was solely under the authority of Yoshikawa Koen sensei, a Yushusaku stamp with a single border, was given to a blade rating 85-89 points, and with a double border the value range was 90-94. Perhaps the NTHK, NPO follows the same convention of a stamp elsewhere on the paper. David's comment about the NTHK not awarding papers to gendai can be confusing, as I assume he extends the term "gendai" to include current contemporary works. Both current versions of the NTHK give papers to WWII era gendaito as I have received them from both Yoshikawa Koen and Miyano sensei. Usually things made after WWII are referred to as shinsakuto, if a sword. Arnold F.

Hello: Well there are Kaifu and there are Kaifu. The quality range of Kaifu is much broader than some of the poorer, tool-like swords, of later periods. For an eye-opening discussion of Kaifu, cf., Okada Ichiro, " In Regard to Kaifu, Tokushima-Ken," The Afu Quartrly, 1995, No. 1, pp. 23-33. The Quarterly was a translation journal of Harry Afu Watson. It has been discontinued and in its short run it provided a translation service of great variety that has as of yet been unmatched as far as I know. Their work goes back well into koto times and excellent early examples are rarely seen in part because, according to the author, many were "upgraded" to Kyo and Soshu mono or one type or another. Uyiyoshi, Yasuyoshi, Ujiyasu, Fuji, Morihisa, Ujishige and Yasunaga are wll spoken of. It is stated that from time to time Kaifu works are mistaken for those of Go Yoshihiro, which is about as high a commendation as can be offered. There is a Kaifu in the Kyoho Meibutsu Cho Arnold F.

Hello: I'll leave the "beta test" challenge to the more computer literate among us, but congratulations (!) on the very educational and excellent post on the Saburo Kunimune nagamaki-naoshi. As one of our mutual Canadian friends once said, the nagamaki is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, and what a beauty that blade is. Arnold F.

Hello: Onin tsuba come in two types, taka-zogan and suemon-zogan, and in addition they tend to be thin, mirroring the ko-katchushi progenitors of their time. The zogan, in most cases, is pre-cut and inserted and tends to stand somewhat proud, though some are also cut in place. I don't think the example shown fits the bill. Arnold F.

Hello" Yushu papers? Other side of the origami please. Arnold F.

Hello: I would expect little of ready made tsunagi as a proper one is a perfect match for the blade, including niku. Both Brian Tschernega and John Tirado make excellent tsunagi, but of course they can be costly and there is wait. Arnold F.

Hello: Sorry for "Steven" Stephen. Arnold

Hello: I think Steven may have hit the nail on the head. It is my understanding that Tsuruta san has not been well lately and there does not always seem to be continuity in correspondence of a type that suggests that more than one person has replied on a given issue. Arnold F.

Hello: I think it might be deeper than just the aesthetics of a yokote line looking pleasing or less pleasing, as the yokote line divides, in the usual use of stones on a blade with a yokote line, the movement of the polishing stone from with the axis of the blade to perpendicular to the axis above the yokote. I would guess, and it is only a guess, that the visual effects on the surface of a blade with or without a yokote in the kissaki area will look somewhat different depending on the underlying stone direction. It might be that appearance of stone usage rather than the yokote as such which determines the choice of yokote or no yokote. Arnold F.

Hello: A few weeks ago in the context of another discussion similar to this one, I had stated that a Juyo Bi, while no longer with status in Japan, could not be legally be taken out of Japan even if legally owned by someone living outside Japan. I believed that was so because a few years ago Christie's or Sotheby's had an auction featuring a number of Juyo Bi's and made it quite clear in the catalog that the export of such pieces was not possible. Some of the realized prices were quite low and I assumed that the implicit demand reduction following that announcement was a partial determinant of the modest prices. Mike Yamasaki posted soon after that export was possible, and now Guido Schiller, in a 2006 article cited, appears to say the same. I would be curious to know if Mr. Schiller was summarizing his own understanding of the matter, or is he quoting Japanese Government laws or regulations as found in print there? I would also be curious to know if the Akihiro, the subject of so much discussion after the Tampa show, actually went back to Japan and out again. I know that it is out now, but did it actually ever go back subsequent to its post WWII removal? Arnold F.

Hello: Thank you Jean for the useful Benson/Tanobe quotation. The interesting thing for me is to see the term used at all as it is so invitingly elastic in meaning. Essentially it says the blade either display "more" or it displays "less," and without saying which. The ambiguity seems so Japanese. In terms of the market place "den" can be spun either way, i.e., as a plus or as a minus. In that it is unspecified as a term it does introduce a measure of uncertainty and therefore lowers the price sticker. Arnold F.

Hello: The Book of the Sword, published by Tom Buttweiler in 1979, was a handy bringing together of the papers that were delivered at the first NBTHK shinsa in Dallas, I believe in 1972, the papers originally being solicited from the authors by R. B. Caldwell and distributed in 8 1/2" x 11" form at Dallas. They are all worth reading and some are quite original, at least as seen in an English language publication. Some of the articles, perhaps not all, were translated into Japanese and published in the NBTHK's Token Bijutsu on a serial basis. Arnold F.

Hello: The show was excellent and the shinsa seemed to be very well organized and conscientiously conducted. Congratulations to Bill Green and Chris Bowen. There was a good mix of the old guard, well informed dealers and some very nice things to be seen. The Akihiro was seen by quite a few folks and there has been much discussion of it, the quality of the polish and who might have polished it. I suspect the whole story has more layers than first meets the eye. I have seen some nice work done by the polisher, and do wonder what state the blade was in after spending 65 years or so in the hands of the former GI owner, though I do agree that the present state can probably be improved substantially. The blade has been referred to as a Juyo Bunkasai, which it is not. The sword received a Juyo Bijutsuhin designation on Sept. 24, 1941. The Juyo Bunkasai law, Bunkasai-hogo-ho, was initiated in 1950, at which time existing JBi designations were cancelled, and as I understand it they could be requalified for the new Juyo Bunkasai designation if worthy. I believe the pre-war rating system may have co-mingled issues such as the quality of the object, and at least sometimes with the clout of the owner. The source of the misinformation of the Akihiro's status traces to a site: www.sydneytokenkai.com, which calls it Juyo Bunkasai in innocent error. That is a site worth checking as it lists quite a number of missing blades. Currently items with the old Juyo Bijutsuhin designation are not allowed to transferred by sale to new owners outside of Japan if they are in Japan, and the same for Juyo Bunkasai and National Treasures, so that while disestablished from its prior standing, the Juyo Bijutsuhin blades are in a grey area, though undoubtedly highly desirable nonetheless. Arnold F.

Hello: The question refers to "oshigata reference books," however the self answered interrogative seemed to be restricted to the nakago and mei. I would take no exception to what Chris said as far as the mei goes, but oshigata books give us two other features which are of equal weight and importance. The first is that the major references usually contain oshigata of not just the nakago, but also of the blade proper with particular emphasis on the yakiba, and sometimes line drawings of the jihada. I do not find image reproductions of the yakiba to be as useful as a well done interpretation by a skilled oshigata artist. Secondly, a good illustrated treatment of a blade or smith will usually contain jewels of textual information, which is the real product of the whole exercise. With out those sort of discussions, for example, the Fujishiro books would be of much less use to their users. Those discussions are usually not easy to find on line, at least not tied to particular oshigata. I do recognize that for the non-Japanese reading collector, all such discussions are not translated, but many are. Any oshigata without scholarly context doesn't offer us much. Arnold F.

Hello: While Chris and Curran might be correct, I would have a hard time imaging that use for this piece. I suspect that it once had substantial seki-gane fitting shims in the nakago-ana which were knocked out to fit someone's aesthetic tastes or simply to fit it to a large nakagao sword and the person so doing didn't have the resources to place seki-gane in place for the new blade. While the visual impact of the tsuba is somewhat pleasing, I believe they are called gomoku-zogan in the West (lit., rubbish incrustation), and they usually are not considered a highly prized category of tsuba. I believe that in Japan they are called hokori-yoshiro, lit., dust inlay, and are usually the product of Yokohama dock work. Arnold F.

Hello: While some reference might state that Naohiro also signed as Dotanuki Munehiro, the definitive Iimura, Shinshinto Taikan does not mention Naohiro as an alternative and the observed mei comparisons are strikingly different. Munehiro did work in Tempo, was a highly regarded Higo smith in the early 19th Cent., often doing blades in the style of Oei Bizen as to sugata and hamon, and sometimes having masame run through the yakiba. Yoshikawa Koen sensei granted at least one of his blades Yushu saku, a rank equal to Juyo Token. Arnold F.