Peter Bleed

I am glad to see that others got this message and found it as - potentially - positive. Truth to tell, I had more questions than answers after getting the letter.They WILL accept international shinsa submissions, BUT I am not sure HOW that will be done. Will the organization oversee the toroku and transport? We will still need an agent, right? It strikes me that bringing a shinsa team TO THE SWORDS (!) would be a much easier way of managing international shinsa. Peter

I was kind of thinking it was a TANE, but I can't do anything with that guess. Please let me take me that this opportunity to say THANKS to NMB. Thank you Steve and Jussi! P

Friends! This ken tanto recently came home with a new shirasaya. I like it a lot, but having scratched my head over the mei, I would appreciate the insights of the community. Please! Peter

Bushi with polearms weren't expected to survive. They needed no provision for preserving their weapon. That may be why - in collecting values - naginata are considered below katana, and yari are, well, just not there. Peter

Gee, it looks to me like it says "Bizen" - a district not a signature. Is it ceramic? P

This has been a consistently interesting thread. Thank you all! Having said that, and acknowledging that I am NOT a tsuba collector, (well, I sort of DO have a bunch of Namban guards, but...) I keep coming back to the basic fact that these things are the "tie-tacks and cufflinks" of the Edo period. How can WE understand the quality of these objects without embracing the foibles of their era? Peter

Steve, Thank you, "YES" I see the resemblance. And I assume that this sword was made by a fellow named Sukekuni. Your help and guidance is always important to us. In this case the swordsmith may have been aiming at a distinctive style, but to my eye it does not look to have been skillfully rendered. And this kind of stylistic refinement hardly seems worthy the moment, especially when it turns out that the smith went back to the BOX Kuni a month later. Peter

I can't get a "Kuni" out of this nakago. And IMHO the suke part is pretty dodgy. In a real sense, tho, that doesn't matter. What this sword tells me about is 1) the tragedy of Japan's involvement in the War, with them trying to produce swords when aircraft carriers and tanks were deciding the conflict, and 2) the clear evidence that swordsmithing in Japan is a complex - well- "art" that involves thorough mastery of blacksmithing and tangential crafts like signing an art name with a chisel. I find this sword tragic. Peter

Franco lays out nice, concrete characteristics of “collectible” swords. To his list, I would add that main lines are always much more desirable than the work of documented deshi or later generations. Major smiths always had and maintained a corps of guys who “studied” and supported the main man. Presumably, these smiths went on to fulfill the blade needs of their communities, but as far as I can tell, “school” blades are ‘slow movers’ except maybe in their home towns. Peter

Interesting thread and a GREAT application of NMB. Thank you all! Peter

The paper suggests that this sword dates from what would be called the late Edo period, the so-called "Shin-shinto era." Swords like this are commonly traded on the collectors' market. They are out there. I urge you to meet and visit with other collectors. That is a good way of meeting new people, learning, and seeing swords. Enjoy! Peter

If the rest of this sword at all fits with what were were shown, this should be an obvious Bizen product. Ho-hum.... It might be rather good "of type", but I bet it is just a late koto Bizento.... P

Pound it out as suggested. If it really won't budge, I think it could and should be carefully drilled out. It is not right and can be sacrificed. Peter

Steve offers deep and interesting comments. I had - and have - far less to say, but I WILL mention that I didn't see a butterfly either . Are we sure these documents are with the right tsuba? Peter

Matt, You appear to be doing a great job of managing an important (and odd!) collection.I sincerely hope that when it is all over, you will tell us where all these treasures have gone. Are they going back to Japan? Are Japanese museums paying attention? Certainly, this "collection" needs to be documented. Wow! Peter

I arrive to this discussion late, but I'm seeing Hiratsugu Peter

It is a Bizen Osafune Sukesade - and rather ordinary within that category. But the mounts are quite nice, - rather elaborating hand embellished outside of the "standard". Army I'd assume, and I bet everybody would say "Calvary." Peter

It looks like a strip of cardboard that was added as a shim to stabilize the handle. Later War expedience... Peter

A very interesting thread. Thank you all. I remain a bit unconvinced since I am challenged by the calligraphy AND there sure seems to be a lot of diversity in the works shown. Neat sword, tho, and a good conversation. I'm glad to be a sword collector! Peter

Jake, Goggle "Kieth Austin, swordsmith." Peter

Michael, please tell us more about this sword. Peter

Gee, I'm glad you're back, Ron. You bring vigor to the community. Peter

The Russian invasion of southern Sakhalin was quick and marginally important. It certainly deserved systematic archaeological investigation, but this video shows pot-hunting rather than "recovery". It also looks like they were finding both Japanese and Russian stuff. This is site destruction and should NOT be encouraged. I also recognize that this was over in the Kuriles and VERY late. Peter

Ron, I'd love to see the signature, Kanetsugu is a guy. peter

Today I read (at) the recent two issues of the JSSUS-Newsletter. It was fun. And I deeply appreciate the fellows – Grey and Mark, notably – who are working hard to preserve the organization. But I have to wonder about the role and future of paper publications on swords in the modern era. Is there anything we can do to preserve our organizations and our publications? I want to be positive, but what can be do? Peter