Bunka Shirya Certificates

Anyone come across one of these before? Non governmental ones, I mean. Are they just marketing tools issued by shops etc? Depending on the appraiser can they have any meaning?

Thanks.

Philip Loftus

Bunka... shirya? shiryo?

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/origami.htm

There's some info at Steiner's great site :-) Is this what you mean ? (look at site for example of origami)

NIHON TOSOGU BIJUTSUKAN ORIGAMI

The NTB (Nihon Tosogu Bijutsukan) was an organization dealing primarily with sword fittings (tosogu or kodogu) - tsuba, fuchi/kashira, menuki and full koshirae. The NTB operated a museum, now closed, in Tokyo dedicated to the study and preservation of sword fittings. They also issued origami for swords. Even though the NTB is no longer functioning, its origami are still held in high esteem. The NTB rating system was:

Bunka Shiryoo - "Cultural Item"

Tokubetsu Bunka Shiryoo - "Worthy Cultural Item"

Yushu Bunka-zai - "Important Cultural Item"

Thanks Dirk for that link. Exactly what I was hoping to read. Great site is right!

Cheers

Philip

Piers

You're right, mate, thanks for correcting the "a" to "o". Shiryo not Shirya. Sorry 'bout that.

Philip