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Dai Tôken Ichi 2013 photos


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My friends Chuck Granick and Mike Yamasaki helped me get these from the DTI. They are Higo fuchi kashira by Misumi Koji, Hozon, shibuichi:

 

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The color in the pictures looks more like shakudo but in hand you see they are shibuichi. I love Misumi's work. Apparently this was the only Misumi work at the show. They are sooooo difficult to find. I feel most fortunate.

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Dear Barry and Guido:

 

Thanks so much for the great photos of the DTI, and the pictures of the usual fellow foreign collectors who converge on Japan every year for this exceptional nihonto show and memorable time for all. I have loaded up a few photos that I took. Les Dorfman seems to be the most photographed person at this year's show. It seems everyone has a psicture of Les. I too was a bit "sticker shocked" by the asking prices at this year's show. However, I was only in Japan for five days total this trip, and I had to leave Japan on the first day of the DTI (10/25), so I was only able to attend the show for about three hours (hardly enough) before I had to get ready to leave and head to the airport for the flight home. I suspect the dealers would have been a bit more willing to negotiate more on their prices had I been able to attend on Sunday, the last day of the show, when one would anticipate a bit more tendency on the part of the dealers to discount some of their unsold items. On Friday, I was only able to negotiate some minor disounts on the asking prices for the things I purchased, but I was very happy with all of the purchases. I was able to pick up a hambo style mempo for around $300 U.S., four (4) nice sized sukashi arrowheads for my collection (very pleased), and a nice fuchi/kashira set in shakudo, with nanako and tendril backgound, with gold coiled dragons to go with a similar design kogai/kozuka set I picked up at this year's S.F. Token Kai. The asking price on the F/K was around $850 U.S., and the dealer readily accepted my approimate $700 U.S. offer. The asking price on the arrowheads was around $750 U.S., and the dealer accepted about $700 U.S. As always, it was great fun again, a fantastic show, more than well worth it to be able to attend the DTI and spend time in Japan, even for the brief time I was there. It was great to see Robert Hughes, Fred Weissberg, Paul, Les, Dan Burns, Mike Yamazaki, and all of the others who attended this year's DTI. I was in a Kyoto sword shop the day before the DTI, and I met a U.S. beginning sword collector there. He was returning to Tokyo the next day, and I encouraged him to attend the DTI. I had an extra copy of the DTI address and show calendar with me that I was able to give him. Hopefully, he made it to the show. I hpe to attend this next years show. Thanks again for the photos, everyone.

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I only saw one blade in gunto mounts in the pics...did anyone notice if WWII gendaito are offered there?

Thanks for posting,

 

Yes, Gendaito are offered at some stalls.

If memory serves, when I last went three years back, there was a full stall dedicated to WWII katana.

Well worth the trip, George.

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I posted somewhere and had hoped you saw it. I could not find an even close 'sen hangaku botan' match for your tsuba. If botan was the only criteria, many. I was being specific. I am still going to be visiting some shops/dealers and if you want botan themed stuff give me some direction as to ryu and style and price range. I suspect, shakudo plate with gold botan? John

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Hi George, I was there this year and also saw this dealer. Whilst I didn't check all of his swords, nothing was of really high quality. One seller though, had a Gassan Sadakazu(ichi) and a Sumtani Masamine. He didn't tell me the price of the Masmine (and I didn't ask) but he wanted 1900000 yen for the Gassan.

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George-

 

While I haven't been to the Dai Token Ichi for quite a few years now, when I lived in Japan I was there every year and always saw many WWII era gendai-to by the usual top smiths. Top prices too. I think I only bought a few blades while attending. One I remember and still have is a special order tanto made by Sakai Shigemasa for a famous tsuba expert (don't remember his name off-hand).

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Thanks for the feedback on gendaito guys...much appreciated. Sounds worth a look (any excuse to visit Tokyo haha).

 

BTW...where is the DTI? I ask because Iusually stay at the Washington in Shinjuku (creature of habit).

 

Edit to add: I looked it up (Duuhhh!) and I see that it is close by at Shinbashi...Shinbashi is just near Yurakucho station...for those of you who had a hotel around there, you may have noticed that there are red-brick arches under the raised railway line there. Just opposite the station exit was the location of the USO during the occupation (my uncle used to go there, open to Aussie soldiers also) and not so well known, these arches were the scene of shelter for the civilian population during bombings in WWII. During the great firestorm raid of 1944 about 8000 people ran to shelter under them and of those who packed in all perished in the heat and flames...stacked up to the ceiling...terrible (a sad place for those who know)...it is ironic that Yurakucho means "pleasure quarter". In the morning when the army came round to inspect the damage, it was the first recorded time that the people attacked the army in the street, calling them the cause of this disaster...just up the side street you come out to the small bronze statue on a plinthe...of GODZILLA...(your history lesson for today...sorry).

Regards,

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...where is the DTI held? I ask because I usually stay at the Washington in Shinjuku (creature of habit).
Tôkyô Bijutsu Club - the nearest subway station (5 minutes walk) is Onarimon. I stay West of Shinjuku (at my daughter's apt.) and it takes me 30 minutes to get there. Also, the Dubliner's Pub in Shinjuku is one of the DTI's participants informal HQ, not too far from your hotel (however, all those awfully drunk people might step on your hands when you crawl back ... :glee:).
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I posted somewhere and had hoped you saw it. I could not find an even close 'sen hangaku botan' match for your tsuba. If botan was the only criteria, many. I was being specific. I am still going to be visiting some shops/dealers and if you want botan themed stuff give me some direction as to ryu and style and price range. I suspect, shakudo plate with gold botan? John

 

Sorry John, I missed it totally (although I enjoyed very much the rest of your posts). Indeed I am looking for large shakudo plate with gold peony, or "panels" with a floral theme (a plum tree maybe)...

 

Once again you have my sincerest thanks for your patience and I reserve the right to return the favour when you visit Greece...

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