Christophe

Thanks Mariuszk.

Hi, I need advice about a naginata ( with NTHK paper) that I bought Wednesday in a small antiques market. There has scars on one shinogi (?). Didt you think I can keep it like that? or some rust may appear? Thank you in advance for your advice and help. Christophe

I already ordered several accessories including a katanakake to show the blade and the koshirae separately, and some tsuba holder in pexiglass but never a nihonto. No problem untill now. The owner is a very nice man. Christophe

I will take 2. Christophe

I will take 3 copies Christophe

Stupide question : During the cleaning of the swords that I own, I'm wondering if there was a correlation between the weight of the blade and the school, the period it has been made or perhaps the smith or if it's only the type of blade we must take into account There is a size classification, but I have found nothing about weight on internet. Thanks in advance. Christophe

Thanks for your opinions, I will step back from this piece. Thanks again Christophe

I look at this tsuba for some time now, but I can't decide real one or good fake? I have only 2 pics of it. Any help will be welcome. size : 8x8 cm Thanks in advance. Christophe

Like this koshirae http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-SAMURA ... 2ec5ab5f91 sold 43000¥ (around 475$) on Yahoo Japan Nothing in my opinion justify the price offers on ebay Christophe

Barry and Jean, thanks very much, today, I learn again something. Thanks Christophe

Just download it, very interesting, thank very much for this work. Christophe

Hi every one I found this week this tsuba. She must have a ring. But what appeared to me the most interesting is the way in which it is constituted. The main body is metal (copper can be seen the color?) On which was glue two plates with the pattern (it seems to me that the pattern was press). This is the first time I see it. Do you have information on this style of manufacturing and an idea from what era this style production began? Meiji or Modern? Thank you in advance for your help Christophe (Sorry for my bad english sometime)

Thanks John and Tobias christophe

last pics

Other pics

Hi, I buy a tsuka with a fuchi in 3 parts, first time I see that. I try to found informations in internet about it but found nothing. Did any of you have some ideas ? Thanks very much Christophe

Hi can you post a photo of the front and back of the docs? it can help. Christophe

Thank you all for your information its opens new horizons so to speak. In searching the net, I found a book on this subject: Nihonto Kogatana Zuikan by Shibata. I will try to found it. There's another sale in Japan (see photos) but unfortunately too expensive for me right now. thank you again Christophe

I was invited last Friday to a private auction sale dedicated only to kozuka and their blades (46 kozuka and 82 signed blades). I have been amazed at what price some signed blade left (price between ¥ 18,000 and ¥ 76,000 for the most expensive). Did smiths such as Sukesada, Fujiwara ....... or their students forged Kozuka blade or are they had been maked by the craftsman who made kozuka? I did a search on the internet but I did not find anything conclusive. Does anyone'll have an idea or information about this topic? Thank you in advance Christophe

Thanks Ron for your help. I did not, me too, see any book dedicated to menuki. I think they are very interesting fitting, almost as tsuba .........and hope that someone really work on this subject. Christophe

I recieve today this pair of iron menuki. How can I do to know around wich period they are ? Is there a book solely dedicated to menuki ? Thanks for your help. Christophe PS : sorry for the poor pics

Bidders have stopped all second hand auction in September and it is focus now only on the sale of new products. Vendors are reunited with same username on the site Winners Japanese sword. Still some of them ship oversea. Less swords and higher price. Japanese market change, and if it's still easy to have export papers in tokyo, it become almost impossible in some aera. http://winners-auction.jp/ Christophe

I have a pair of menuki I find original and rather uncommon, one of menuki represents a horse face, the other back. I think it is shakudo and manufacturing today. I saw several shakudo tsuba from deep black to light brown. How can we determine if the fitting is in shakudo? and age? Christophe

Thanks very much for your reply. I ignored that. I will look on the board about seki stamp and and the discussion you mention. Thanks again Christophe

2 more pics, I think showa period