Peter Bleed

Erez, There are lots of charcoal fired swordsmiths' forges to be seen in Japan. These look very "traditional", but virtually everything you will see/visit has a power hammer - which I suppose you could just ignore. Japan is good at that sort of thing. Now as to remnants of 'OLD" forges, you might begin by looking for historic images and as I recall there are images of swords being made by smith using STONE(!) anvils. I believe that Gina Barnes had drawings of "old" forges in either/both Korea and Japan. As i recall, Gina could shpw only drawings that an archaeologist could like. So what you really need to do is visit Kusado Sengen in Hiroshima Pref. As I recall they found and excavated a swordsmith's workshop that was flooded out in like 1490. Look it up. Peter

I hate when that happens, I had Ray beat by a minute - but then I dithered, grrrr P

Happiness is being the first one to open - - one you can handle Seki (at least that seems like a place to start) ju... Uji..... fusa Peter

Does anybody know what happened to Christian's stuff - including the mystery treasure he was pimping in this thread? Peter

See you next year! Peter

What a happy resolution! Congratulations!. I read this thread like a "soap opera." I'm glad it came out all right. Peter

Dear Derz, Maybe I am too suspicious. Forgive me, I intended nothing mean or unkind about your ancestor. Indeed, I respect his service. I also commend you for investigating this family patrimony.. If you can come up with a 1946 photo of your great uncle with this sword it would be truly significant. Peter

There seems to be lots and lots of mixing and matching going on these days. Many people know how to re-use gunto koshirae. So I am suspicisous. My BET is that this is a a fairly recent marriage between a gunto koshirae that had held a collectible blade and a non-com sword that had unsalable fittings. TAA DAAH..."An officer's sword that broke and had the blade replaced by... a good story. Peter

John, I, too, have enjoyed the recent burst of interest that has developed around Namban tsuba, EVEN IF I DISAGREE WITH MOST OF WHAT IS SAID! A couple of years ago I published a paper in Man at Arms, hoping to generate some discussion. A scan is attached. Basically, I see these bilobed guards as Japanese versions of 18th Century small sword guards. I suppose they may have been made elsewhere in East Asia, but IMHO they are Japanese. Peter

I agree, Brian, and I was not trying to denigrate these swords or the people who bought them. I was merely trying to describe what I saw as the most interesting "action" at the Show. Peter

Indeed, the event was a bit sparse. It was also new in the setting and kind of exploring the space. I saw no Sendai Shinto - except for the ones I brought! My only purchase was an Ainu "inro" - that would have been completed ignored if I hadn't been at the show. Oh Well. What was interesting IMHO was the appearance and sale of three separate "collections" of basically pretty low end gunto. These looked to me like they were pieces picked up in the early days of the sword boom but survived as "collections" because they did not included pieces that would have been hotly sought after by American or Japanese collectors. They were like "lag deposits" that had survived as collections because they did not have what people had been looking for. They were like skim milk after the cream has been drawn off. There is a market for these kinds of swords - apparently - since they did sell. And they were real and true Japanese weapons, but I think they were also show that NOT all those swords that GI's brought home were treasures. There is that lingering thread here on NMB about "great discoveries" but we tend to overlook the utility grade swords that have always been part of the topic. Peter

Oh, and Stephen, for the record, Christine grew up in - ahhh - Lincoln Nebraska! Just saying' Peter

I am indeed, happy for Christine, and Paul, and the AB - how ever it is defined. I bet that Judge Horwart has been at more major sword shows that most of the the NMB stalwarts. Peter

Christine Horwart was swept into a Circuit Judgeship in northwest Arkansas. And that matters to sword collectors because.... she is married to Paul Davidson, Chairman of the NBTHK-AB. Congratulations Peter

And the "rest" - especially the Yamato, Yamashiro groups - are OLDER than the Bizen/Mino groups. An extra century in pre-Muromachi times would have chewed thru lots of swords. Peter

but they're not bringing Covid19, either.

I can't read the date, but I'm sure it is older than 1659!

George makes an interesting point... Peter

I found Grev's essay very stimulating - and rather deeply challenging. I really and truly want to see it developed into a stand alone PUBLICATION. In that form I am sure that it will generate a great deal of positive discussion. I also think that it time for us to abandon the language and thinking of "Namban tsuba". The fittings that were created before the early Edo have NOTHING to do with the mass of stuff generated by the Dutch Craze of the late 18th Century. Likewise, conflating Edo period cosmopolitan tastes with whatever titillated sword wearing folks on the Continent is foolish. There were lots of very different communities involved and we ought to tease them apart rather than conflate them. Peter

I can't see this blade making juyo in this day and age. but it is a nice sword. In the words of the frontier bard, "Goin' out on the Buffalo range depends upon the pay." Can you afford it? Peter

I have to ask, too. I was, ahhh , kind of sniffing around them... Peter

Seki Kanetsugu... Thats the easy part... P

I agree that Robinson and Yumoto are useful. They offer excellent introductions to reading signatures. AND Don't depend on books. Get to know other collectors. Visit them. Look at their swords and list to their lore/ Go to shows and sword events. Peter

Indeed, Ray is correct I think P

wonderful sword - - terrible picture. The large inscription says something like "CHO DO SAKU" I suppose that could be a name but it might also mean something -- like "Single Tool" But to return to the main point. This is a nice blade. Please give it a bit (!) of oil and thumb rubbing to expose the complete inscription. Orient the nakago so we cam see it, and show it to us again, Peter