John A Stuart

KoMino can be very dear and very nice high relief. John

Sakai 境 perhaps. John

So, originally daito shortened to shoto? John

I have often thought about this. Given that the basic design criteria are present, minimisation of detractors and education of these is present, in other words, the objective appraisal; it is that certain subjective assessment that gives immense satisfaction and is a personal overall prejudice we all have. Quality of craft that speaks on a personal level. John

Painted on is apt. Mercury gilding in essence is painted on before firing. John

The first seems to be 朱 to me. John BTW, Steve's 本 looks like the second.

There are literally dozens of halls named willow in martial arts halls. John

I have a maru boshi himono kozuka similar. John

Some of my coins. http://www.johnstuart.biz/new_page_12.htm John

Haaaaa! "For peace square people have only one husband." John

Well worth noting. John

Seems to me to be a San Diego type kiku tsuba that has been modified with alternating sukashi. John

A range of 1 to 4 mon, most are 1 mon, depending on which tsuho. John

刻 Koku, engraving. John

I can't get over the second kanji, but, would have thought Nagatomo, 長友 Th extra stroke worry me. John

雅隻 Yasuka 雋之 Kazuyuki ? John

Or yoko 僥倖 John

The earliest stable pigments for urushiol were earth based, iron oxides. So, red and black. John

Is it not translated enough as it is? John

Nice adaptation for a cover, rusty kettle $8000US? Not a chance. John

Haaaa! You have found a double 'trouble' 造作 John

I think, Kanesada, 兼定

Close. I would have thought, Sadakiyo saku, 貞精

Fancies- outliers within a school that are not the norm. Iron, acid etched pre-industrial times in Japan, are with vinegar do you think? Using wax and leaving for long periods in vinegar to etch a pattern? The technique in Europe was quite advanced, did the tech reach Japan? The French scholar Jehan le Begue wrote a recipe for acid-etching on iron in 1531. He distilled ammonium chloride, ordinary alum and ferrous sulphate in a mixture of water and vinegar. Craftsmen rarely recorded their methods and many developed their own techniques. However, basic principles remain unchanged. Did Japan have vitriol, sulphuric or -ous acids? John

The thing is with Hoan there seems to be a couple of types. Yakite with really dense iron and a tosho type more granular plate and the fancies. Kamakurabori always seemed to me to be like a pressed shallow impression more felt than seen. Carved or etched? I think more by abrasion (by stone or grit) of some type, a lost metal process. John