Sly

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Hi all. I would like to show you the great work that Ford Hallam did recently on a depatinated tsuba of mine. He managed to restore the nice metalworking of the Soten school. Sly

Hi all. I was sent the pictures of an old sayagaki going with a sword which will be at auction in a few days. Before I may bid on this blade I will be greatfull to have any information related to the translation of this sayagaki. The only thing I know is that the sword is attributed to sadayoshi. Sly

Hello Franco. A correct price for a showa reproduction like this ? I think the price is OK but you can find others at a cheaper price... As you are living in a France, have a look at this : https://www.leboncoin.fr/collection/1392254851.htm?ca=12_s But honestly, let me give you this advice : take more time to save a little bit more money and buy a REAL yoroi from edo period (around 5 - 6 000 euros). If you buy a reproduction, I think that you will get bored very quickly, for this kind of armor has no particular story to tell...

To add to Jean, The catalogue of the exhibition is worth its price. Nice pictures and explanation both in french and english. If you could'nt attend the exhibition, go for it !

Hi Luis. Was it the auction at Garth's on the 8th of december ?

Seems that you have already tried these "excuses" with your own wife, Jean, don't you ?

Thanks a lot for all your comments gentlemen ! I can see more clearly now where I go. So, as a consequence, I would say it's a "go" (or green light, Jean, if you prefer ). Once again, NMB saved my day (and my fundings probably). There's only one issue to solve now : how to tell my wife ?

I don't have any much detailed description by my side, I have to ask him. Same thing about the pictures, except this one. I saw the armor in his house where I was invited. As it was not officially available at that time, there was no written decription. Without that, could you give me a first impression ?

Hi all. A french dealer of Japanese armors I do well know proposed me this week a price on a new armor he got. He told me that this armor is from mid-edo, genuine as a whole set (not reconstructed from miscelaneous parts of other armors). Although the maedate is a modern work, the rest of the work seems good to me. His price is 7500 € for this armor. Is it a fair price ? I don't know much about Japanese armors, but it seems ok to me.

Got the kashira this morning. Beautiful and well packed. Thanks Marco !

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Indeed, thank you guys for the translation ! And I was not sleeping, I was doing the housework !!!!

Hi all. I have the opportunity to acquire a teppo, but it's not my speciality. Therefore I don't know if it's a good quality or not. Maybe the translation of the mei could help me. If anyone has any information ! Thanks guys !

Back to our business... There is clearly a yokote on the omote side, but not that clear on the ura side. Agree with Jean, could have been added later. And yes, Franco, there are mune yaki all along the mune. I was believing it was one of the common features of the hitatsura hamon, doesn't it ?

Hi all ! Got this new blade recently. Wakizashi, nagasa 45 cm, ubu, hard to say about the jihada due to the condition, but hamon is hitatsura for sure. The shape is nagamaki naoshi. I think the blade is shinshinto, but I can't identify the swordsmith with certitude. The second kanji of the mei is mysterious. The first one is "Sada" I believe. Any help is welcome !

Hi all ! I just got the results of the kantei for my wakizashi: NBTHK judged it as gimei NTHK-NPO judged it as genuine (origami issued) As the blade is still in Japan, I don't have the NTHK origami yet. We'll see if there is any indication of the generation on it. Still, I'm quite surprised of the difference of judgment of the two associations for the same blade... Seems to be often the case by reading other topics.

Hi José. Maybe you should have a look at Chohi (chinese name : Zhang Fei) figure as well. IMHO the blade held by the character in the tsuba looks like more a spear than a ken.

Well done Jussi ! Thank you very much ! That's it ! Menuki are indeed pheasant theme, and fuchi/kashira are insects theme as well ! There's also an pawlonia flower on the saya, so maybe it is mentionned on the kanteisho too.

I don't need to translate the whole thing. My main concern is about what's written in the parenthesis. Besides, I'm interested by the description on the tsuba, for it is not signed. As a consequence, any indication of the metalworker is usefull...

Hi all ! After having submitted a wakizashi koshirae at NBTHK's shinsa, I received an hozon kantei sho recently, which I can hardly translate. I'm interested in having the translation of the description of koshirae (fuchi/kashira, tsuba, etc.). Could one of you help me guys ? Thanks in advance Sly

Thanks Ray for the advice. It's always difficult to know for non-accurate collectors like me if a blade is worth the price of a traditionnal polishing . I use to go through Paul Martin in Tokyo for different services (restoration, shinsas). I will certainly commission him for finding a togishi for that blade.

Hard to say Barry...But I didn't see any so far on either side. Could a yokote disapear due to multiple polishing ?

Hi all. I recently bought a suriage katana nagasa 68,5 cm. The nakago has four mekugi ana (!?) It is in a really bad shape. The hamon is not visible any more due to the scratches. I'm thinking of asking the advice of a polisher to know if there is anything to save in this blade... The nakago has a tachi type mei, which I read as "Kunimune", but I am not sure. Could it be a kamakura blade regarding its features on the photos ? Thanks in advance for your comments guys !

Count me in for a hard cover edition please Paul. Best,