slashxu

Beautiful sword! Nice literature on the Tomonari. I also enjoyed reading about the Kunimune.

Add art theft to the list. One of the so called "hand oil painting" is actually a CG cover art done by Korean artist Kjun for Sonov's game called Shaiya. Definitely not original and definitely copyright protected. James

That's awesome George! I for one would love to own at least one higher quality traditional Japanese lacquer stand with suitable koshirae for display purpose. For multiple swords display or temporary holding, I think the kake you have is the way to go. Now think of it, I can probably 3D print a shorter/less stack version in my studio. It wouldn't be less expensive to do (for me) or be as visually pleasing as the wood, but it would be a fun project and should serve the purpose equally. James

It's quite enjoyable to have a peak at fellow collector's mini museums. The setups are beautiful! James

Wow. Some great looking displays here. I'm so envious Andreas, I think those are great inside a glass display. You are right the swords definitely get all the attention. Alex, I saw that similar stand from a few places. It is more affordable. Decisions decisions. Thanks for sharing. Take care guys! James

Thanks guys! Some of the lacquer work are indeed beautiful. I might be in the market for one soon as my new sword is coming in. Alex, thanks for the warning. Definitely need to be careful these days on things online. James

Hi Jim, thanks! I saw that and contacted Eric about it. It would appear to be gimei unfortunately. The owner will more than likely sell it as it is, unpolished and no paper, but with complete koshirae. Attaching a few pictures of the blade per my previous message. James

Thanks Ian. That make sense. I'm also a collector of various types of wooden Asian antiques, and was just wondering mostly if the wood had anything to do with the higher price tag. James

I was wondering if there was a sword stand culture I'm not aware of. Why are most of the better looking sword stands from Japan cost $1k or more. I'm familiar with certain type of wood used in furniture and decorations in China that are just outrageously priced. Does that have to do with the sword stand at all? Or does it have to do with the maker or time created. I don't remember seeing any artist name being advertised with the sword stands, only a approximate time without any credentials. Anyway, I have been wanted to ask this question. Thanks in advance! James

Thanks again Patrick! Will do some research. If the mei is real, it should be an interesting piece. James

Patrick, Thanks for that correction. You're right, it is badly inscribed where I thought the first character was San. So, is it safe to say this is the smith? http://nihontoclub.com/smiths/NAO182 Thanks, James

Hi Gents, I have a wakizashi I'm looking to find more information on. From what I've translated on the mei it reads: Mino Fujiwara Sanekuni. The last character seems a bit off from the usual Kuni character so please correct me if I'm wrong on the translation. The sword is in need of a polish but I thought it has no fatal damages. The owner wants to identify the smith, school, period, etc before committing to a polish, and perhaps submit to a shinsa later. I thought I had more pictures of the blade, but I will need to go back and gather those. So, for now, if any expert thoughts can be given on the mei, I really appreciate it. Sorry admin, this currently looks like a translation help, but I'll return with some pictures of the actual sword for some help on that. Best Regard, James

Great looking polish and tanto! Congrats! James

Interesting to see how well the auction will do. That word "Sa" sure gets a lot of people jumping, doesn't it? James

And now there are two Norimitsu blades. sigh...why can't these guys use their brains for something constructive instead of ripping people off. Thanks Derek for the link. -James