Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Still a good explanation.

Stephen, it's not "Obama" but "Osama" and we should block it for hidden advertising of the pen... :D http://www.ennepenne.it/osama.htm

Hi Grey. Looks like a very well grow-up Ocimum Basilicum. Guess you should give up with Miss America and try Bonsai... :lol:

Once it read "drill here"...

Mostly depending on the wealth of the parents, items for children/boys were made even of a quiet good quality. For the "coming to age" ceremony were made even full suits of Armor but still of a smaller size then the "adult" ones.

Beware ! It's dangerous. She could say the same for her insane shopping of shoes and dressess...

Brian, guess you've missed an e-mail of mine about a couple of catalogues...

Thanks Moriyama San. PDF saved for future references.

Both. To me looks a lot like italian. :lol:

Depends on the knowledge of the viewer. In fact mine is so little that I can see the Holy Mary there... Guess I've to read more often the Tosogu section. This will save me to make more gaffes for not having read the whole story...

Indeed. Looks like Shinogi are disaligned... A nice Tsuba to my eyes...

Ian, an old friend of mine, formerly curator of the Castello Sforzesco's Nihonto collection spent years in trying to find the info you've most likely put in that book. He was convinced of the Goa origins of first Tanegashima Teppo as he felt portugueses built an armoury in Goa because of the need of re-melting cannons after a certain number of shots. To return such valuable items to Portugal and back to Goa would have been a dangerous and expensive trip, so the logical solution was to make it "in situ". then the production of Teppo (and other metal items to be exported in China) would have been a logical addition, considering also the availability of raw material in India. He passed away before to get any evidence of this. I would be extremely interested in purchasing your book and in any feedback you can give about the matter. Thanks for your work.

Brian, count me in.

Mr. Trotter, no way to purchase a copy signed by the author ? It's a plus that I always search for my books.

Thomas, you can find tehse info on Kanzan Sato's "The Japanese Sword", in the first part about NihonTo history. Good entry-level book.

Depends on the knowledge of the viewer. In fact mine is so little that I can see the Holy Mary there...

Piers, Cool. All I need now is a Teppo to disassemble.

Some swords were allowed to be smithed by Allied Occupation Forces before 1954 to be presented in a very importand religious ceremony.

Milt is disclosing his treasures... :D More ?

Very nice.

Hi Stefan. It's not just your choice but your Sensei's one too. I'm sure he'll not allow you to enter the Dojo with a sharpened blade, not as a beginner. On due time, he'll tell you the right steps to be taken. Have fun and be safe.

Guess an update is useful. As the original poster on SFI seems not registered here, I'll quote him : Quoting Joe Guzman (begins) : hello, I submitted this sword to Robert Benson in July 2007 NBTHK Shinsa Tachi Iyetoki 79.7cm Old sword kamakura or older but will not issue certificate because of Saiba, (Retemper) and shows signs of Mizukage. This sword was never in any fire. Mr. Benson told me that the Boshi point saw broken off and was reshape and retemper this was common on old sword especially when this sword shows signs of cut marks lines from fighting no kirikomi. All I'm asking for is for someone out there that can assist me in a rubbing just to know what Era this sword was made. ... (ends). I wonder which other opinion he's asking for if NBTHK's and Bob's ones are not enough...

If the Hagire is "unseen" the Samurai would have never know the reason of the breaking. As paratroopers known well, a Samurai checked at least twice for the equipment before battle. Swords broken often and often developed Hagire in battle especially when parring with mune occurred (the way smiths brokes unwanted sword is hitting them on the anvil on the Mune' side). Hence the checking before and after the battle. I'm not sure swords with hagire would have reached the battlefield easily, at least on part of samurai wealthy enough to have spare weapons. Hence, a sword with an hagire might have been a good sword which happened to be unlucky. Guess I'm going off topic and on a minefield here...

The one about the Stibbert is good (IMHO). Waiting for the others...

Good old italian work... :D Guess that getting in touch with Paul Martin might be a good idea too : http://www.thejapanesesword.com/