Robert Mormile

Recommendations to anyone visiting the exhibition would be to bring earplugs. I visited the Raku Museum in Kyoto ( http://www.raku-yaki.or.jp ) a few weeks ago and it was ruined by a group of women that felt it necessary to make silly comments very-loudly on each of the 50 objects on display. The ceramic floors turned their loud voices into a flock of geese. Thanks for posting the info. Robert

Chris: If I arrive on Friday morning in Tampa and my shinsa slot is on Saturday am I able to hand the sword over to the Shinsa team on Friday and then get it back on Saturday so I can ship it back home? What email address should I PayPal the money to? Thank you. Robert

Brock: The name "Sakamoto" is scratched into the seppa-dai in katakana. Robert

Gabriel: Kiyomaro is shinshinto and the above two list are koto and shinto. I am sure that Kiyomaro is one of the three shinshinto saijo rated smiths. My guess on the other two would be Taikei Naotane and Suishinshi Masahide but I am not a shinshinto guy... Robert

Peter: My interest is of a historoligical nature. Not history but the study of how history was told. I realize that the books published during the 20th century are more reliable, have better photography and are easier to read in kaisho instead of sosho but there is something both intriguing and romantic about looking at oshigata (or actually drawings of early nakago) that were compiled before the modern era. I don’t have any of these books and would like to view and perhaps buy some. Useful no, interesting yes, for me, it’s the curiosity factor. Like a fishing lure designed to catch the dollar of a fisherman. Most Sincerely, Robert

Tom: Thanks very much for the recommendation! I just googled "一心堂書" and found the links. Let me post it here for everyone's benefit. Prices look quite good; must bring another suitcase... Most appreciated. Robert http://jimbou.info/town/ab/ab0015.html http://www.isshindo-shoten.com/

Peter: Sorry I should have been more specific. I am looking for 19th Century books written in Japanese in the "ehon" format, like the one I attached. By the way, I purchased your book "National Treasure" last night and very much look forward to reading it. Thank you. Robert

Fellow NMB Members: I was wondering if anyone could recommend a bookstore in Tokyo that deals with antiquarian books on Japanese Swords. I am familiar with the antique book districts in Soto-Kanda, Kanda and Jimbocho but I seem to go shop to shop without finding any 19th century book sets on nihonto. Can anyone recommend a shop that deals in such material? Thanks very much. Robert

PM sent. Thank you. Robert

Chris: Yeah, it should do six figures based on the paper along but I wouldn’t expect any pre-2007 Kurokawa prices either. These photos are pretty horrible; they should have been taken professionally. I understand that chirimen-hada is difficult to photograph but other than the 1cm hataraki it is difficult to see what might be lying in and around the nioi-guchi. One overall sugata photo would be helpful in determining if this is really ko-aoe or not. I would expect to see a slightly deeper sori and smaller kissaki but of course it is suriage. One thing the sword seems to have on its side is health, only wish the photos displayed the finer details. As we know, seeing (not looking at) swords is very much a first-hand experience. Robert

Chris: I know of one sword (can’t remember if it is Jyu-bi or Jyu-bun) that resides outside of Japan but am not sure if it departed Japan with the approval of the Monbusho or not. Of course, swords of this level can leave Japan for exhibition or auction but even the auction houses site that the items can be viewed in New York, custody must be taken in Japan. Do you know of any swords that were permitted exit based on the fact that they were pre-war certificates? Robert

Peter: Yahoo Japan Auctions are similar to ebay. Many auctions on Yahoo Japan are as this one is "海外発送 対応しません " meaning that they will not ship overseas. With many of these auctions, you may register and bid but remember that in the case of this sword (as it is Juyo Bijutsu Hin) it is for most intents and purposes illegal to remove it from the country of Japan. It is legal for anyone to own just not to remove from the country. Robert