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3rd, 4th, and 5th gen. TeruhiroSandai.pdf TeruhiroYondaiGodai.pdf

I have those oshigata from the first five Teruhiro generations in my SHINTO-MEIKAN. TeruhiroShodai.pdf TeruhiroNidai.pdf

Free mail shipping or 50% off ground shipping on all Lulu books. Use code GMF14 (all caps) until October 6th.

Doug, Chris is right. The Connoisseur's Book is what you need. My encyclopedia is more like for when you have to look up a certain term.

@Klaus: No German version planned, sorry. @Stephen: Please go to the following link and click on the small "Preview" link directly under the pic of the book cover. http://www.lulu.com/shop/markus-sesko/e ... 30119.html

May I announce that my Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords is out now. Details can be found following the link to my blog below: http://markussesko.wordpress.com/2014/0 ... se-swords/ This time I provide three versions for you all, a hardcover, a paperback, and an eBook version, priced accordingly. The encyclopedia contains about 2,500 sword, koshirae, and kodogu entries, so you should be able find every term you are looking for. Comes with many pictures and drawings (just click preview under the cover of one of the related links to get an impression of the books contents). Thanks a lot you for your attention.

Jean, I will make sure that you receive your book in time. Sorry for giving you a hard time. I am back in Europe on October 5th and so I can send you the copy I already have at home at the latest as express mail by 6th.

@Jean: No, this shipment contains just the catalogues for US/CA/AU. The rest, i.e. all what is not US/CA/AU/GB/IRE, is in another parcel. To all: Got an update this morning that the parcel arrived in Greensboro, NC. Was in NJ for 10 days! That means it should be here by tomorrow, Friday, and I will start to foward the US/CA/AU catalogues right away. In short, there was a delay I don't have control over, but forwarding of the catalogues proceeds. Thank you all for your patience.

Unfortunately yes. Sorry.

Short update: I don't know why but catalogues are still at inward office of exchange. Called USPS yesterday and was put through three times but obviously no one there knows more than the sender and I know from the tracking number. I apologize for the delay but I as soon as the shipment is here, I send out the catalogues without any further delay.

From my Index of Japanese Swordsmiths: Morihiro (守弘), 1st gen., Kakyō (嘉慶, 1387-1389), Echizen – „Morihiro“ (守弘), Chiyozuru school, according to transmission the son of Rai Kuniyasu (来国安), civilian name „Kamo Jirō“ (加茂二郎) Morihiro (守弘), 2nd gen., Ōei (応永, 1394-1428), Echizen – „Echizen no Kuni Fuchū-jū Morihiro saku“ (越前国府中住守弘作), „Morihiro“ (守弘), Chiyozuru school, we know date signatures of the 32nd and 33rd year of Ōei (1425/26), he also worked in Kaga, gunome-midare in nie-deki with sunagashi and kinsuji, jō-saku Morihiro (守弘), 3rd gen., Kakitsu (嘉吉, 1441-1444), Echizen – „Tōzaemon no Jō Morihiro“ (藤左衛門尉守弘), „Morihiro“ (守弘), Chiyozuru school, first name „Tōzaemon“ (藤左衛門), there are hira-zukuri ko-wakizashi with a broad mihaba and sakizori extant, the jigane ist an itame with much nagare, masame and ji-nie, the hamon is a gunome-ō-midare in nie-deki with tobiyaki and sunagashi, the yasurime are katte-sagari, wazamono

Hi all, Tracking says catalogues have arrived at US inward office of exchange on Sep 15. So I am awaiting them coming week and then I forward the copies asap. Will leave a note when all catalogues have been shipped.

Also thanks for the clarification!

I think that "yaki" is meant here as "hardening" because in the context of "tempering", the term is usually found with some suffix. Regarding, 湯足り and 湯走り, the former is IMHO just a typo. Now we have to dig into Tsuneishi's previous chapters to find out what he means with "strong". I am with you, "strong" has no meaning when it comes to describe metallurgical conditions, that's why I added "intense". Not that this makes more sense but to add another periphrasis. Reading between the lines of just this short paragraph, I tend to think that with "strong" a way of hardening is meant which is prone to create more nie, and this is AFAIK keeping the blade slightly longer at a higher temperature (to allow nie crystals to grow) before quenching. Taking this approach further, it seems to me that holding the blade longer at a higher temperature requires pulling it more often through the hearth and maybe this lead to a loss of more clay along the mune?

You already pointed out earlier what Tsuneishi means, namely trying o make a distinction between yubashiri (nie) based and nioi-based muneyaki, but before we continue, let me provide a translation of the quote Tom posted. Just for the sake of completeness and with a minor correction of the translation given by you to John. Not meant as nitpicking. 来物には　三乗派や粟田口一派にはみられない棟焼状態のあるさくが多いですが　これは実は棟焼でわなく　湯足りの強いものです つまり来物は湯走りの現れる程前記の系統より焼が強い訳です "As for Rai-mono, there are many blades with muneyaki-like formations which are not seen on works of the Sanjo or Awataguchi school. However, these are not muneyaki but strong yubashiri, and this appearance of yubashiri on Rai-mono belongs to the feature I was referring to earlier as "strong/intense hardening."

With the great help of Morita san who was able to decipher all characters, I have a try translating the kyoka poem on the first kozuka. I think it is a little suggestive and degorative but charming to describe a man from Edo. My translation is not literal but tries to keep as much of the literal content as possible. Otokogi no, azuma-sodachi no, hatsugatsuo ippon-tsuyoi, hana hyakkan. "Chivalrous are those grown up in the East, but just like they are famous for their love of the first bonito (i.e. the love for the very first products of each season), so they like their women (i.e. plenty and best as virgins)." Morita and Moriyama san, please correct me if I am wrong.

Sorry Alan, all copies are sold in the meanwhile. I apologize, I should have mentioned it in this thread.

The mei in question put next to the Masamori entry in my Signatures of Japanese Sword Fittings Artists. As John pointed out, the mei of Hosono Masamori varies significantly. Workmanship looks fine IMHO.

PM sent.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Peter! I will have the NBTHK ship 16 copies via SAL to your place. Apart from that, I am going to send you the list of UK orderers somewhat later today via PM.

Short update: Order is placed but I have a last question: Is there any UK-based member willing to forward a bulk shipment of catalogues from Japan to UK rderers? We are talking about 12 shipments (16 catalogues, 2 orderers receive more than 1, minus the forwarder himself). I am asking because the UK is the third largest group. A friend of mine forwards as mentioned the catalogues to D/A/CH what makes the second largest group. The largest group is US/CA which I do of course myself as also the remaining ones scattered around the world. All costs (shipping fees, boxes, etc.) will be fully refunded by me of course.

I am afraid I can't translate this one. Can read some characters and passages though, but without the whole, it is IMHO too much "Chinese whispers" to give it a go.

@Andi: I am afraid not. Too much work involved for too few potential buyers.

There are now only 4 copies left and I put down all the names of those who reserved one. In this sense I would like to say thank you to all of you and I am overwhelmed by the support of those who initially didn't go for one but purchased one to get me out of the situation having about 35 unsold copies at home. This strengthens my belief that there is indeed a dedicated, committed, and close-knit Nihonto community and that the NMB is its hub. So also a big thank you to Brian and all the moderators who keep this going. Upon my order at the NBTHK, I will post some updates here like when the copies arrive and when I have shipped them.

Bump: 8 copies left.