DirkO

Book arrived today - well packed - as-new condition. All in all a very smooth and enjoyable transaction. I'd recommend dealing with him any day!

I can see where you would go with 'monkey' on this - but is it really? I think it's just a man.

Papered Myoju (TH)

Congrats on the successfull meeting and to all involved, especially Joe!

Used to prune bonsai and the likes if I'm not mistaken. Called a nata.

I think it's remeniscent of how earlier naginata developped partly from farming tools. If I remember correctly AOI had a similar one for sale from Saneo , some years ago.

Also, the reason the NBTHK fee is as high as it is, is because they fund various projects like translations of the Token Bujitsu, the Tosogu books from Shigeo, ... So it's not like like you're just throwing your money away, it's used to service the nihonto community and their membership. And as someone else put it - this is not a cheap hobby, so if you have several 1000's worth of nihonto or kodogu, it puts the fee a little bit in perspective.

I have the book at home, anything in particular you're looking for?

Hi Darcy, very educational graphs. A question if I may: your DB probably has the sessionnrs as well. Do you see an evolution there? More Bizen Juyo for a certain period of sessions for example,... This would be very usefull knowing the pet pieves of the more recent shinsa panels,or even if ones Juyo stands out for a certain period of Juyo sessions.

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