Markus

Thanks Paul! I am almost fully restored by now, just have to cut down my super strong espressos.

Hi Jimi, the mei on the tsuba reads "Shôzui" (Hamano). The box doesn´t belong to it as the hakogaki mentions a signed Choshu-tsuba by Nakai Zensuke.

@Joe: Unfortunately I don´t have a printed copy myself. The b/w photos of the blades measure in general 15 cm (5.9") in width so they are more for getting an overall impression. But you can see the details of the hamon and hataraki in the numerous oshigata. I attach you some PDF from the picture-heavier pages. I know that´s not what it is in printed form but you might get a better idea of what the books like inside. PicturePreview1.pdf PicturePreview2.pdf

Thanks John!

Kikuhide as he is listed in my Index of Japanese Swordsmiths: Kikuhide (菊秀), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – „Kikuhide“ (菊秀), civilian name „Murayama Kikuo“ (村山菊雄), born September 21st 1905, he worked as guntō smith and died April 8th 1952

Now available, the English version of my second supplement to the first two kantei volumes. It contains 175 kotô, shintô and shinshintô blades in the classical order, namely kotô-gokaden, kotô other provinces, shintô-centres Kyôto, Ôsaka and Edo, shintô other provinces and shinshintô. The numbering continues with the last blade of the first supplementary volume, i.e. with number 419. So we arrive now at almost 600 blades (594 to be precise) with all volumes so far! 428 pages, A4, paperback, b/w pictures, price: $ 89.00 It can be obtained at Lulu.com via this link: http://www.lulu.com/shop/markus-sesko/k ... 05812.html There is also an eBook available here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/markus-sesko/e ... 05830.html Below please find also the table of contents. Thank you for your attention! Kantei2-Contents.pdf PS: I don´t know if these Lulu voucher codes work so please try: LADY15 (save 15% USA and Canada only, Expires 9/17/13) FAST5 (Save 5% Off Any Order)

I´ve never read anything about nakago length rules. FYI, p.133 from my book Koshirae - Japanese Sword Mountings p133.pdf

I briefly dealt with the kuji a while ago on my blog: https://markussesko.wordpress.com/2013/ ... -koshirae/

Hi Mark, The mei reads "Bizen Osafune Yokoyama Tôshirô Sukeyuki saku + kaô" (備前長船横山藤四郎祐幸作), and the one to the right (地鍛総巻張) is the info that the barrel is made of forged iron in the so-called "winded construction"). See here: http://www.home-nagahama.jp/tepponosato ... aji2-1.htm Interesting. Craftsman seems to be a close relative of the late Edo period Yokoyama Bizen smiths.

That´s true. What we need in the first instance is a way larger number of really knowledgable and easy accessible experts outside of Japan who separate the wheat from the chaff, i.e. to separate art swords from weapon quality swords. So from the point of view of preserving as many as possible (art) swords, Japanese associations should try to think about educating more future experts.

I am also more than willing to help. There are so many sleeping beauties in our museums waiting to be discovered. Keep us up to date Grev.

As having spent some half-days on and off the hospital recently because of an annoying stomach ulcer, I had to focus on something which doesn´t require my books. Thus I finished a minor project I was asked for several times over the last months and years. As most of you know, the NBTHK provides an English translation of Dr. Honma´s Nihon-koto-shi on their website, but just the plain translation without any pics. http://www.touken.or.jp/english/nihon_koto_shi.html Non-members of the NBTHK and younger members which don´t have all the back issues of the Token-Bijutsu asked me frequently where to get the pictures or if I am willing to sort them out. Now I fulfilled this request and compiled a paperback version (and an eBook version) of the Nihon-koto-shi with all the pics, but not only that, I added also a lot of pics mentioned in the text but not shown in the Token- Bijutsu reprint. The result is a 320 pages 408 b/w pictures book (7.44 wide x 9.68 tall) available as a personal reference. Once again, this version will not be available in public so if you are interested in a copy, please contact me via "markus.sesko@gmail.com" or via PM here. The price is $60.00 + $10.00 flat shipping rate and determined by the printing costs and the compilation work involved. The eBook version can be downloaded here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/junji-honma/en ... 2054FA7B6F KotoShiContents.pdf PS: I have taken the liberty to adjust the format to my previously published Nihon-shinto-shi, so that it will be a decent set with the upcoming Nihon-shinshinto-shi. :D

Thank you Brian for advertising my blog. Please feel free to use any articles or PDFs posted there as a reference here. I am struggling with some health problems recently so everybody please be patient if posts are somewhat slower than usual on my blog.

Mark, your sayagaki reads: 大磨上無銘　南北朝期延文・貞治型ノ雄勁ナ姿態ヲ呈シ　地刃ニハ同派ノ見所ガ普ク表示サル滋味豊カナル優品也 ô-suriage mumei, Nanbokuchô-ki Enbun-Jôji-gata no yûkei na shitai wo teishi, jiba ni wa dôha no midokoro ga amaneku hyôji-saru jimi yutaka-naru yûhin nari. ô-suriage-mumei. The blade displays the magnificent and strong Nanbokuchô-era Enbun-Jôji shape. A highly tasteful masterwork with a jiba which shows in general the typical features of the school.

I tend to think that Enshin emphasized with the last part that he added a softer core, i.e. "shingane-iri kore o kitau" (真金入鍛之). Usually shingane is written with the characters (心鉄) but also (真金) is possible I guess.

Hi everyone, For those of you seeking more references (and until my next Kantei supplement is finished), I have uploaded a translation to Lulu I have done a while ago. It is the 1967 published JUKKEN which most of you maybe know. It is a full translation, that means with all the oshigata. It features about 130 fine blades, one of it is designated kokuho, seven juyo-bunkazai and twelve juyo-bijutsuhin. 142 pages, b/w, A4, $55.00 (+ $10.00 flat shipping rate) This is not going to be made public so everyone who wants a copy, please contact me via PM or "markus.sesko@gmail.com". I would suggest payments via PayPal but bank transfer is of course also possible. After an order is received, I will have a copy print and sent from Lulu directly to the buyer. The eBook can be downloaded here: http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/ejukken/14000363 Thank you for your attention. Contents.pdf Preview.pdf

Matt is spot on. The only character missing after "Nagasaki" is "ken" (縣), "Prefecture", incsribed in the old variant. The mei ends with "ichidô" (一同) which means "all concerned (of the two above mentioned institutions)".

I guess we will stay at this point when we are not able to get at least somewhere close to 150 participants. As stated in one of my first posts, I sold surprisingly few copies of the Index and wondered where all those future participants would magically come from. I am not mad at all about selling to few copies but I was asking myself for the reasons and came up with the following: 1. Too expensive. 2. Too special. 3. English version not available in hardcover (although I added this option when I published the set but it does not work). 4. Not enough publicity. 5. Quality too low. Now with all the threads over all the months, point 4 can be ruled out. Regarding point 2, I must point out that hardly any book of mine sold over 150 times in that period of time (but maybe this can be put down to me being a lousy author ) Of course there is interest but 100 real buyers might be the "end of the road". Even now as points 1, 3, 4 and 5 have been solved by those (a cordial thank you) pushing the project in general and the price down to a IMHO very reasonable number for this set, we are where we are some months ago. Leaves a strong point 2... So for my part I thought - with those abroad waiting now for a hardcover set in mind - I am able to work at least on points 1 and 3 by adding a lower priced hardcover set on Lulu. I did not want to sabotage the project.

I also assume it is an abbreviated form of the old character for "Seki" which is: 關

I have only one book published in hardcover at Lulu yet but I have to say that the quality is not much but noticeably inferior to that of BoD. Just to clarify this before the discussion goes on. Regardless of my post above, I am of course still with this project.

When we are now start to talk about digital print and on demand, than I think it might be just easier if I reformat the whole two volumes and upload them again on Lulu for hardcover print and set the price lower? Back then the price was set to get some of the time and amount of work back I invested in compiling them. I was not aware that the availability of the initial hardcover set (which is of decent quality) is not given at all for the abroad (US) market and that the price is that discouraging (with Hawleys in mind people get for USD 400 and similar figures). So maybe this is a compromise. Well, people which bought the initial set might be angry to get them too early and paid a higher price but maybe this is just how it goes... That means everybody waiting now for a (not super high-end quality but still decent enough for "just" 900 pages of plain b/w text without any pictures) hardcover set for a better price might be happy as all the problems with shipping and handling would disappear at once with Lulu. Well, just some thoughts. Apart from that, please bear in mind that I am on holiday from Friday onwards and will not be able to participate in the discussion until July 14th. But I will be around at least tomorrow Thursday. Cheers.

Thank you very much John for your kind words. I can´t stop anyway because I just love that subject too much. But from time to time I have to sort out priorities and scheduled deadlines around other projects as bills usually don´t care about the latter.

@Peter: In the course of recent discusions on what should be translated next, I was informed that Harry Watson wants to finish the remaining volumes himself. So if Harry decides not to tackle them, you know where you can find me. :D There is also the tenth Q&A volume which might be of some interest...

Ok, then I will include that in the masterplan. I thought I ask because the first supplement sold in homeopathic numbers what made me think that the first two volumes are maybe enough. I have about 200 new blades around right now which have to be sorted, translated and wrote up. Will be something for late summer/early fall I guess. Thank you for your cooperation so far.

My holiday starts towards the end of the coming week and I have to plan how to rank upcoming projects. I have planned to add another Kantei Supplement with more blades than in the first supplemt (koto, shinto and shinshinto). My aim is to provide a decent reference with this series but I want to ask you first if this is wanted at all. So I would be greatful for a short reply if this series should be continued or not.