DirkO

I remember it being brought up during a NBTHK EB meeting in Bonn last year covering Hirata Hikozo and where his inspiration came from. Being a fan of Higo tsuba, I took note.

Being fortunate enough to already have some kodogu by Ford, his photos are a great extra to the creational process!

I thought the Odawara fukurin used by Hikoso was based on earlier Kagamishi tsuba examples?

Hi Simon, Your agent should have the pink slips of the NBTHK with the submission/failure on it - the NBTHK doesn't give you any additional info as to why it failed if I'm not mistaken. Regarding the original post - I had some items in the April Tosogu shinsa which were already returned to me. Still waiting for the papers though.

Very interesting undertaking - once you have your live bidding up and running - I'll gladly join in!

PM sent

http://www.samuraishokai.jp/sword/yr16001.html

Please bear in mind that this JoJo Saku rank is done by Tsuruta himself as a personal opinion. No connection with Fujishiro ranking.

I think Jo-Sun?

Hi Allan, for $30, I think Markus Sesko will translate the lot for you professionally :-) It's his standard fee for sayagaki (you get romaji and english and the kanji)

Noticed it as well this morning - I would say the NBTHK attribution is the safer one whereas Koson was stretching it a bit (not really convinced by the origami and kao either - very suspect) - also the sayagaki seems a bit sloppy at best. I don't think these should be taken into the equation to be honest. But leaving that aside - a very nice piece - one I immediately saved!

Very very sorry to hear this. I only had contact with him on a few occasions, however he was a true gentleman and always went out of his way to help or get info - he will be dearly missed on NMB.

仙琇彫之

In the Daijisen dictionary (大辞泉, publisher Shôgakukan Inc, 小学館) menuki are described the following way: „Menuki (目貫), originally referring to the mekugi (目釘). Later a rivet-like ornament on the top of the mekugi which is visible on the sword hilt. Became later an independent decorative element of the sword hilt.“ Extract from the NBTHK-EB translation by Markus Sesko of "Menuki – Sono rekishi to igi ni tsuite" - 目貫・その歴史と意義について - "About the History and Meaning of menuki" Iiyama Yoshimasa (飯山嘉昌) tôsô and tôsôgu expert Tôken-Bijutsu 9-2011, Nr. 656

Aren't peshmerga the good guys btw? Just saying...

Can't hurt to repeat it, Stephen! Original post: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/20058-n-b-t-h-k-move-of-offices-and-museum/

The Japanese sometimes write 4 as 2-2 because 4 has a bad connotation to it (something with it sounding the same as the Japanese for death) - it's not that uncommon in date signatures.

For the rest of us - here's a quick pic from the Juyo Bijutsuhin Zenshu:

Actually he was appointed teishitsu-gigei ́in (帝室技芸員) in Meiji 39 (明治) -> 1906

http://page24.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q141116980 Now there's something you don't see often :-)

Manichibo tsuba come to mind as well...