help with a database

[paulb]

Dear All

this is a long shot but dont know if someone could point me in the right direction.

A few years ago I bought more than 300 NBTHK magazines from number 92 up to about 540. It was my intention to translate the oshigata on all of these as an exercise in years to come. However there is a vast amount of useful information in them if only it was indexed and findable.

Does anyone know if such an index of NBTHK journals exists? If so where might it be obtained?

I know this is a lazy cop-out but at the likey rate of 1 magazine per week I am looking at 6 years work to have a useable archive.

Thanks

Paul

[b.hennick]

Grey Doffin has an index to many books. I hope his work covered this. If not and you do receive one I would appreciate a copy.

[kazarena]

Hi Paul,

 

I also have a comparable amount of NBTHK magazines and it's also in my plans to go through them and compile an index of oshigata and other useful info. I started doing it few years ago, but encountered a number of problems which made this exercise hard to justify. Firstly, many interesting articles, especially 20-30 years ago, span over large number of issues, and unless I have all of them (which is not the case, some issues are harder to find and there are always gaps) the info gets fragmented and not too helpful to use. Secondly, it's the volume as you have mentioned. Unless it's a community effort, many years of work would be required. So far I found it's much easier just to take the necessary issue from the bookshelf rather than spend time creating the full index, and then occasionally just record interesting references.

 

I will definitely be looking at the oshigata index in the autumn or even earlier, so I'm happy to share the work in this direction. We may also have some non-overlapping issues.

 

I'm not aware of any existing indexes, it would be interesting to find out if there are any. I have a spreadsheet of issues though, stating when each issue was published (courtesy of Pierre Nadeau).

 

Regards,

Stan

[paulb]

Hi Stan

thanks for getting back to me. Lets keep in touch and we can share information and progress (or lack of it)

if you dont mind please pm me your email address we can then commuicate without taking up bandwidth on the board.

Thanks and best regards

Paul

[Tokaido]

Hello Paul,

please have a look here:

http://www.touken.or.jp/english/translation1.html

These are only the translations of the most recent years, but as far as I remember,

the english translation was availiable as word-doc since 1998 (?).

Maybe you can get the back issues from the NBTHK AB oder EB (if you are a member).

A search within those word-docs is easy, using the usual windows features

Greetings

Andreas

[paulb]

Thank you Andreas,

Yes I am aware of these translations. I have been a member since 2006 so have all the later copies. The others I have start in the 1960's so I doubt there will be English translations but as you say it is worth asking.

I will write to the AB branch and see if they have anything

Much appreiate your help, thank you

Best Regards

Paul

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

I have included the Japanese edition of "Token Bijutsu" in my Index of Japanese Sword Literature on the JSS/US website. The 1st issue I indexed was #523 and I have done all issues since that one. With rare exceptions, I have indexed only oshigata for which an English translation was made available, and I've indexed by issue # but not by page #. Go to jssus.org and click on JSL Index at the top.

The Index is online and free to all because smart people like you recognize the value of joining the JSS/US.

Thanks, Grey

[paulb]

Thanks Grey

not sure I have ever been called smart ( either sartorially or intelectually) but I am now a member of the JSSUS

[Jean]

not sure I have ever been called smart ( either sartorially or intelectually)

 

Don't over do it Paul :lol:

 

I remember having been called a smart a... once together with a lot of lesser nice names. That was last December when I choose to leave the Company, staying on the payroll for the 3 on-going years and getting a three year salary compensation... :D

[paulb]

Dear Jean,

Sounds a really great deal It could even make this old Englishman wish he was French!!