Peter Bleed

Daniel, I think Grey is correct. The document says that this sword is signed Osafune, but I sure can't see that in either the oshigata or the image. The fact that the document shows the rubbing it does presumably means that the blade is tachi-mei. Ron has a very good eye, but this does not look like a shin-shinto to me. Peter

Steve, For the rest of the story you have to roll down the hill with a buddy and ride your scooter off a curb. Think of it as Parris Island Lite. Signature looks like Sakakura gonnoshin Terukane, I have never seen one but he seems well regarded guy. TER 17 P

Terukane P

Looks like it was an August day of heavenly virtue And Hori by Munetsugu Peter

I am not sure of what the image is presenting, but it sure looks to me like a cast tsuba. Peter

Hey, hey, hey, friends. I'm getting lost in specifics here. I need some advice at the general level - as it relates to my specifc stuff. I'll bet half the people in this community have a gunto they have kept because (it was cheap when they bought it, and ) is is really really nice. I have a 3rd Kunikane in graet mounts that feature a big guard that had to have been hand made... So is it time to bring that sort of rig to the next Shinsa? Are shinsa teams open to those kinds of koshirae? How long will it be before collectors will only consider gunto that have papers? Peter

Peter, Thanks for posting this link. I, too, discovered it and found it of interest. Tsuruta-san has always been gracious and his ebsite is really very nice!. He was very pleasant at the San Francisco Event. He seems like the kind of person who should have a good sense of where the sword market is and where it is heading. Still, his notice has a cryptic quality - like a Zen Koan - that makes it like trying to use Janet Yellen's statements on the Federal Reserve. Is Tsuruta-san simply telling us that this is a good time to buy swords in Japan? And if he isa right, should we assume that sword prices are about to tumble in overseas markets (i.e. North America)? Is it finally time to sell our Confederate dollars 'cause the South ain't gonna rise again? Peter

Marius, I think these are all publications that reflect the bust of sword interest that marked the 1970s. IMO, this happened because the flood of swords that followed the feeding frenzy of the sword buyers who made the trip to the US required some market development in Japan. All of a sudden dealers had lots of swords to sell so they needed to train Japanese collectors. The story I was told is that Wakizashi were slow movers soooo, Shibata published a number of books on shoto. These were cheap and mass marketed 1 is Wakizashi nyumon (Intro to Wakizashi) 2 is Shumei Nihonto (Taste of Sword 3 Hyakken HyakuNANI ( 100 Wakizashi 100 stories Tosho Zenshu- should be two volumes 5 Wakizashi no NANINANI (Power of Wakizashi, I guess) 6 Token Mei ji Ten (dictrionary of sword signature,) 8 Momoyama Jidai no Token Peter

What Barry said. Peter

I have to respectfully disagree with most of the discussion in this thread.. Based soley the signature, this looks to me like a late koto/early shinto blade. I think the mei is rather interesting and artful. It is anything but "crude." Peter

Thanks, indeed, Ford. This is a great view of what premodern swordsmithing must have been like. I looked and looked but couldn't see a power hammer. It seems he was not using one when this film was made. The production process was very clearly presented, but I just suspect that they time line presented was longer than waht was reality in premodern times. I also liked the treatment of using recycled old iron. This is a point that is rarely remembered now that tamahagane is being produced. I was fortunate to be able to visit Miyari-san's home in the mid 70s. At that time, the driveway up to the residence looked much like a scrap yard with piles of old iron - teapots, nails, anchors and more. Peter

This a clear, if symbolic, reference to the break up of the American Telephone and Telegraph company! Note the strong encircling Google. Peter

Hoanh, This has been a very useful thread. You have helped me look at swords and see things. I also really appreciate the photo of your photo set up. Thanks! Peter

No. It would have been the grain. Peter

Mark, What you have here is a Special Members Badge for the Imperial Soldier's Relief League. This was founded in 1937 and it was set up to provided ecomonic and social support for wounded soldier. Look on pp 27-8 of In the name of a living God by Murphy and Akley. Along way from Golden Kite. Peter

Who wants to argue with Moriyama-san, but as I look at this thing, I think it says something about the surgeon general warning about the dangers of use of this object. Peter

Pete, Whatever it is, don't try to embrace it. You'll drowned! Peter

While on the topic of major auctions, I wonder if anyone might have reactions to the recent - Oct 15, Christies London Auction Asobi?. A few swords and jizai in amongst other things. The market seems - ahhh - strong. Peter

"Katsumasa" I think P

Dear Friends, Please allow me to ask a couple of library related question of the NMB. 1. Can anyone tell if there is a library outside of Japan that has – and maintains - Token Bijutsu and Rei? 2. Given the growth of digital techniques, does the “western” collecting community feel that it would be worthwhile having a set of these series in a library? Thank you. Peter

Dear Friends, Please let me announce the creation of a University series aimed at bringing along the next generation of Japanese sword enthusiasts. The University of Nebraska is lucky enough to have a wonderful small library on Japan called the Kawasaki Reading Room. Lincoln, you see, has a Kawasaki Plant that supports this effort. Working with the KRR Director, Madoka Wayoro, I initiated a group called the Tō no Kai that meets once a week to discuss Japanese swords. A poster for the group is attached. Students these days are very busy, but there seems to be broad interest in swords and even some enthusiasm. We have a core of 9 kids. We’ve looked at a couple of the great short videos (Beat Takeshi and Yoshindo and Yugen), but I’ve always also had some hands-on. Participants have selected the subjects and so far we’ve reviewed history, technology, kodogu, and blade shape. I’ve tried not to start with vocabulary, but I think there has been some good learning . I have tried to foster observation, comparison, and principles. Several of the members are in Japanese so next week we’re going to consider signatures. Please wish us luck and suggest activities that can help the effort. Peter To no Kai poster.pdf

Hoanh Thank you for a wonderful thread. It was very informative. I read it with interest. I respect your assessment that some worthy swords are "difficult to appreciate." That description and the images you presented brought to mind a sword in my collection that I happen to have been looking at last night. Clearly not bad - mebbe even good - but never easy for me to appreciate - even after the blade with its suriage nakago signed by the the fellow who clipped it off was polished and shinsa'd to Kunisada! Maybe there are good smiths who are just hard to appreciate. Peter

Charles, You have a terrific group. The helmet is nice, and I am sure that Chris is correct in saying that the sword is a 100% legitimate Nagamitsu - a smith you will easily be able to research. Given that this sword had a tsuka cover, I am not sure that the wrap (tsukamaki) may not have been 'repaired' by the Army officer who carried the sword. The surrender document is wonderful. You must retain it with at least the sword. Someday it will be turned in to a makimono or a scroll. But the best part of this whole adventure is that you will shortly get to meet the Melbourne sword collecting community. They are wonderful and will enhance your experience! Enjoy!. Peter

Klaus, I want to be what is called (probably inappropriately in the modern world) a "Dutch Uncle." This problem was TOO EASY. It was not a good use of the NMB and it did not help you develop basic skill. Anyone who is spending modern kinds of money on Japanese swords really ought to command the basics of reading signatures like this one. I say this largely because this level of ability is easily achieved. I urge you to copy the wonderful 2 page table of sword signature kanji that was presented to us by Robinson in both of his books ( Okagesama de!). These are arranged by stroke count order so a bit of practice will let you command signatures and stroke counting. The kanji pages of John Yumoto's book is also useful. After you learn those basics, paging thru untranslated Japanese books will give you ample opportunity to practice seeing hoe the kanji are actually presented on swords. We should not let the Board be a crutch. Peter

Of course you don't see them often, they're invisible! Peter