peter

Hello Gents, i wonder if someone might look at a mei for me on behalf of a gent who wants to know if he has a " good sword or a factory blade" i have looked through a few books and i think i see Yoshi Mune or perhaps yoshi Tame, and the date August 1944, many thanks, Peter

Hello all i am just back from London where i was invited to drop into the arms fair and put 2 of my ww2 blades on Ian Chapmans table. They didnt sell but i wish to thank Ian who introduced me to a few like minded nihonto guys, Don Bayney, his shop in Greys market London has great quality pieces, i wish i could have spent longer chatting with him also met with Fred? ?? ( i think former chairman of Token society, ) And his wife really nice couple. Also a few others that took the time to look at my collection i have put together this past 3 years. Ian had some beautiful pieces and wonderful sets of fitting, i missed out on metting Mr Sinclair as i had my Tsunatoshi katana with me and he may have give his opinion, also missed Robert. But only being a novice i hope to have a chance to catch up with them in the future. Wish i had of planned better. Thanks again Ian maybe see you in Birmingham. PETER

Hello Denis and welcome from a member from north of Ireland PETER

Hi Franco great piece, stunning art work thanks for sharing, Peter

Thank you Geraint, i will keep my eye open for 1 as i haven,t seen any of that width yet, Peter

Thanks Adam, i have a saya with a 2cm width opening and wondered what it would have been for , there not a big difference when measured but certainly looks much wider, Peter

Hello Gents, i have a question on Kazuka pockets on a saya, where they all of standard width and depth to take a kazuka blade and handle or where there wider openings to accommodate another tool and if so what was it and what was it called? Peter

Thanks Edward, i have just done that but see nothing different, maybe as Chris says they may have been trimmed perhaps loosing any information? Peter

Thanks Chris, supper quick, this may be a kanji, or maybe not?

Hello Gents, i bought a few prints because i liked them, but dont know anything about Japanese prints, if they have any age or can be attributed to an artist, any help would be appreciated,they are 14.5 in x 6.5in and seem to be on very thin paper many thanks, Peter

Thank you all Gents for your comments and time taken to put all the excellent articles, references and pictures up to aid my quest for information on the Tsuba, Many thanks, Peter

Anytime you are in this part of the world. .Christian. Thanks for all your help on this one. Peter

Thanks you all for having a look and for the comments, so this tsuba is an oddity , maybe a one off , maybe a tea or sake' pot and possible edo or earlier? such a confusing little piece of history :? Peter

Thank you Henk-Jan, Christian kindly looked and said the same, maybe in there is the date, as it is a 19th century pot, i wasnt sure if it was tea or sake'. Peter

Hello All, i recently bought a Tsuba , just because i liked it and it was , to me, unusual. i wonder if some of the "Tsuba" guys could take a look and give their opinion good or bad on age and anything else about it would be appreciated ,the measurements are 78mm across, the Seppa-Dia is 30mm from top to bottom and 8mm from side to side in the centre, there is copper in it to reduce the Seppa-Dia. Peter

HI Kieth, welcome to the NMB As Paul said. If you could get the seller to put as much paperwork in as possible in the way of discription of item, in English of course. When i brought a katana in a few years ago they where going to distroy it due to its paperwork having been issued in 1974 and ( "its shiney and looks new ") maybe a heads up to customs to let them know to expect it that way you may get a name to deal with. Peter

Thank you Ernst , very good of you to get back to me , i will try for better pictures when i can, Peter

Hello all, could anyone say what these 2 symbols are or mean? many thanks, Peter

SHOW OFF ,, but very cool Peter

Thank you Veli. happy new year to ALL PETER

Hello all would anyone have the email address for Aio art. Thanks Peter

Thanks very much Chris so they are shinsa papers , there is so many threads on different grades and organisations changing over the years i wasnt sure , many thanks, Peter

a few more,

Hello Gents, I wonder if any of the Japanese speaking/ reading gentlemen could tell me what these papers actually say and what they are i have thought since they came with my katana they where shinsa papers, thanks for any help, Peter

Hi guys i just read this on the net while looking for the Kanesada mei, seems there where at least 2 signed the same mei in the same school in the same time , obviously different style of signing, so when a blade with ANY mei is deemed Gemei is this type of occurrance taken into account? Peter,,,, Echigo no Kami Kanesada II (later known as Sakakura Gen no Shin Terukane), worked in Osaka during the Enpo era (1673-1681). His contemporaries were famous smiths such as Tsuda Sukehiro, Sukenao and Inoue Shinkai. One account states he was originally from Kochi, Tosa Province, traveled to Osaka to join the 1st Gen. Kanesada's school and was subsequently adopted by him. On the death of the first generation, Terukane inherited the Kanesada name and Echigo no Kami title. However, when the 1st Gen. Kanesada's biological son came of age, Terukane gave the Kanesada name to him. From this time on (the end of Enpo 7-1679), he began inscribing his blades Sakakura Echigo no Kami Terukane, and more commonly Sakakura Gon no shin Terukane.