Curran

James, Thank you, but not necessary now. I just opened my email 9pm tonight to see another collector emailed it to me. The Kaga Goto is very nice. Not sure it is so nice that it is worth selling something to buy it. I do like the Jingo piece, though it is probably too plain Jane for most people.

Morita-san, Arigato gozaimasu. Ginza Choshuya usually responds, but it takes a few days.

/Martin That is the old dragon one they had up on their website. One of the rare Kaga Goto examples I didn't like. They posted here: http://world.choshuya.co.jp/gj_index/20 ... 201206.htm <> I'm curious to see it and wrote them an email, but figured the NMB might be faster be 1 or 2 days.

Does anyone have a copy and willing to scan in an image for me? I would like to see the Kaga Goto tsuba they have up for sale. PM me or post here. I'm also curious to see the Jingo and Mino they have posted at those pricepoints. The Mino is pushing on Ko-Mino prices. Wondering how nice it must be, but primarily interested in the Kaga Goto piece.

Ron, ~Post or PM pictures? I regret selling mine, but have gotten a bit superstitious about owning them. Safer for me to stick to kodogu and koshirae. I was very much into competitive archery when younger, and think it influenced the judges who gave me a scholarship to Japan in 1989. It was very fun to practice with a high school Kyudo team.

Martin, Thank you for the link. That was a decently written article. Much better than I would expect of most journalist these days. I had not known part of Ford's history, and something in it jumped out at me as a common thread or element in the best artists and art collectors.

Formerly owned by me. Sold to an NMB member during tougher times.

I think it has to do more with the auction house staff. TO BE VERY POLITE in trying to express it, the shift on Asian Art has long since passed to the Nouveau rich of China. (Really screwed up the french and italian wine prices on the traditional big names). Staffing those auction house departments has had a headcount and payroll reduction elsewhere (Japan/Korea). Expertise has suffered from financial and other attrition.

Congratulations Ford! That certainly explains the trip to Japan you mentioned last time we talked. Bring back many o-miyage! Having quietly watched the forum http://followingtheironbrush.org/ I think this was overdue a bit. I'm glad the Japanese can acknowledge it. Very well done! Return safely.

Just a whim here to share and comment on some of the tsuba up for auction in Japan at present: http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g109233860 Nice tsuba where the workmanship ~looks~ right, but the signature is so off. My guess is someone had an example or rubbing of an example and gimei'd it at a later date. For those who like em REALLY BIG: http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d131088439 A papered Namban at 13 to 14 cm. Also serves as a dinner plate or a lamp stand. And winner for unusual design this week: http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m96443790 Flaming Imperial Jewels?

Consider (cigar humidor) Humidity Crystals. Also be careful of the container, as Veli discusses. I spent almost half the year in New York City, and the rest of the year in Florida. Veli spoke of Tampa at the most dry part of the year. It gets much much much more humid during high summer. My small collection travels with me, so I am careful about the humidity levels and shifts. Collecting wine for a decade was an initiation into this, but antique wood and lacquer are a more serious game. Basically below the 25% and above the 70% level, be very careful. I find even the larger paulownia boxes struggle a bit in the shifts.

Thank you Chris and Morita-san. That makes much more sense. AKIO (Haynes 00058.0) ~ Worked in Nagoya. Also later worked in Tokyo. b1824 and d1887 The iron very closely resembles that of the Nidai Norisuke and some of his students. I'd expected a more direct link than just Nagoya. The buddhist tsuba is in the style of a Nidai Norisuke owned by another collector here in New York, but not nearly as intricate.

Relatively sure the fuchi would get attributed to "Kyo-Kinko" (basically Kyoto style soft metal work) Not sure about the menuki. Menuki are generally much harder to attribute.

Help, onegaishimasu.... I'm failing to read this signature correctly. It is: 玉成堂明雄彫之 As simple as the third character should be, I'm not making sense of the signature. Total block.... It is definitely Owari area, and probably related to the Norisuke school of tsubako.... hence my interest.

Perhaps drumsticks or a simple Japanese mace. I like the design and don't remember seeing anything similar. I've been somewhat on a menuki bender recently. Looking for a pair of high quality Higo menuki in the turtle theme.

Doctor John, Thank you for typing that out and clarifying Bushu/Choshu. As John pointed out, not the same one. Hoanh, Would love to see the menuki and the fuchi. The singles like that are often called "Orphans" and some of us even collect Orphans as an economic way to have examples from many schools. Curran

http://www.nihonto.com/5.7.09.html Hoahn, There were several artists from different schools that went by this name. It is probably Haynes 04737.0 or his son. Perhaps one of the members with it on CD can cut and paste it for you.

Umbrella.

Either the photos, or the sword and papers, probably originally came from the JSA auction site: http://www.l-wise.co.jp/super-jsa/aucti ... ode=detail Though the background wall is different, the format and the kake are the same. It goes without saying, careful with Craig's list. Also, at this price you can get some very nice papered swords from list members, or at San Fran, or the Tampa show.

It is with hesitation here that I speak up, but no one else has. I am not sure if Ford is being polite, so guess it falls to me. The signature does not look correct for shodai or nidai. There are too many variations for me to consider it within possibility. I am not skilled enough with a Picture editor to visually highlight it, but there are multiple missing direction strikes from the examples given in the .pdf Ford provided and from a papered example here: http://www.seiyudo.com/TU-080812.htm. I have not opened Wakayama to see if there is a similar variation. I would be interested in seeing the other signatures. Reason being: Being non Japanese, I tend to error strictly on the side of caution with signatures. Over the last decade, I've had 100% accuracy in anything signed that I submitted to NBTHK or NTHK has passed. That is [i]disconcerting[/i], because not being Japanese... I'd expect to have been wrong a few times. The conclusion is that I am following the books too much, and I think the NBTHK has been doing so recently too, at least at the Hozon level. The well known joke from Yoshindo Yoshihara was that as he carved a mei one day, he hit it wrong and cursed under his breath. He looked up at his visitors watching him and said, "In a hundred years, this is Gimei". I've recently seen a Hamano Shozui fuchi-kashira that I feel is exactly this. I believe the workmanship is his, but the variation on the signature is enough that I think the NBTHK would deny it for papers. Curran

Many a risque kozuka I have seen, in no small part thanks to our wayward old friend Milt Ong. He is much missed, though I think he had retired his nihonto interests. BaZZa.... I don't think I have ever seen a tsuba depicting nude women. As happily married as I am, I am still curious to see it. Just no touching allowed.

I blush to try and imagine. Knowing nothing of Japan's courtesan culture, any chance the Madam of the hen-house would be permitted a weapon? Though they look like phallic friends or protective sheaths, could they not also be a Lorena Bobbitt warning if placed on a tanto? Sheer or ~shear~ speculation?

Searching on ko-Mino menuki, stumbled on something else. This is a bit off color, so don't click on the link if you would be offended by Porn nihonto (Not = Nihonto Porn). Having seen many many menuki designs, but not sure I've come across these before: http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d128410116

Different iron. Looks like the outer ring was added later. Who knows why... (a) No initial outer ring, and it was decided it would be better if it had one (b) Outer ring damaged, and this is the replacement © Outer ring removed, then this is the later replacement Any way, it isn't a great job since things don't quite connect right. Mediocre repair.

I was suppose to consult with Skip for a friend's question about metal Okimono. In the waves of the Tampa show, I forgot to do so. Though Skip and I have spoken by phone a number of times, I cannot find his number. Could someone PM his phone number, or let him know to give me a call here in Florida? Curran