Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

My compliments, Morita san. Already Pre-ordered on march 27.

This thread reminds me a Kogarasumaru copy made from the Northern Manchuria Railway I once read about... Would be interesting in seen if this is another example mounted as Shingunto...

Nothing to add, other then Korekazu's peculiarity in Yasurime, too, aren't carefully enough copied here, IMHO.

It took some patience, but finally you got it... Respectfully, keep us updated.

Picture n.65 re-loaded to erase a scan defect the previous one had just in the center.

Lee, respectfully, check also the Yasuri from my pics. If anybody of the ones that posted in this thread handled enough Kiyomaro's to have a legitimacy in giving an opinion, that's Darcy (I dare to say and with no offense meant to anybody).

...and I wouldn't be upset at all in discovering to have purchased for a low price such a "fake"...

"De gustibus..." :D For me it comes (close) 3rd. 1) nice Japanese steel, 2) persian crucible steel 3) indonesian keris steel Watering on persian "wootz" blades are, IMHO, close to high level Japanese works :

Seems I've missed the train... Lee, as you've asked, I'm posting the pics from the Sano Art Museum catalogue for anybody read now or in the future this topic. Scan in high resolution under request to tsubame1@tin.it. Brian is right. Just to have the doubt it can be legit is a plus on most other Kiyomaro. I was told that is the blade to confirm the signature not the other way around so, again, Brian is right in addressing you to Bob or to another good Togishi of your choice. My sincere best wishes. n.59 n.65 n.66

Better those rock stairs then my settee.

Sorry. I've to update my records.Didn't know he is no more in business. A real gentleman. Hope his collection will be cared and maintained, on due time and not dispersed. And Persian crucible steel of course :D . Guess we share the same taste. We should discuss this privately.

Yes maybe, From second picture seems it have a Yokote.

Hi Harvey. IMHO you have a nice Meiji period short police sword. From Fuller and Gregory's "Military Swords of Japan" page 64/65 :

So France can't see the sword but can purchase it and Italy can see the sword but can't purchase it ? (seller excludes Italy and Asia). WTH ?

Well, I wantn't judge their prices, but the quality is usually good here too : Hans Joachim Eschbaum in der Kumme 132 D-53175 Bonn Robert Burawoy Rue le Regretier Isle Saint Louis F-75004 Paris Galerie Dutta rue des Etuves 21 CH-1201 Genève

I read a similar one on a Sensui (submarine) cup, rare item for obvious reasons. I wonder if this is a regular length sword or a short one. Any pic of the whole blade ? EDIT : first post states it's a waki.

Being from a nation formerly allied to japaneses and that had Hitler's Mentor as a dictator, I can understand the resentment from the former enemies of Japan. Italians are usually considered the "good guys" of the Axis but believe me, not all were. I'm a big fan of History and let's say that everybody acting in Far East from the half of the XIX to the mid of the XX c. has his own responisilities in the several conflicts that involved the region. China was a great temptation for everybody. As far as Yasukuni goes, a very few people knows that there are even 3 englishmen enshrined there, so I hardly believe it's a nationalistic and totalitarian icon. It's just what Redipuglia is for Italy. A site where to remember fallen soldiers that, we should remember, are *not* only from WWII but from much before. But this is slipping into a field that usually is "verboten" on most fora.

Similar to the ones on Sakè cups... Let's try... and

Ancient and modern offers from soldiers for their military fortune... Heartbreaking he ? Venice and Pompei are the same on a much bigger scale. Hope the atmosphere of calmness helped to recover from the shock.

Maybe once it was and the present one is the result of the polishings, exposing the small defects of the steel. Re-shaping would have meant loss of material, that likely wasn't considered convenient by the polisher. The same *possibly* applies today.

Likely my best bargain in sword-related items was Fuller and Gregory's "Military Swords of Japan 1868-1945" around 12 years ago, plus a couple small books about Tsuba and fittings that I've no more, from an old bookseller in a small town flea market. As the first was in english and the others in Japanese I paid the entire lot 10.000 old lire, around 5 euro. I asked for more, but that was all he had about Japanese weaponry... :D

You have TWO ? damndamndamn... Likely the most difficult shape to polish. Up to 8 cutting edges and 3 yokote

Thanks John. As you know I've a soft spot for jumonji.

Hi Steve. Hope to not stumple on the feet of anybody with this, but I think that for Biographies a good source is Samurai Archives. For yours in particular and Boshin war, the Bakumatsu to Meiji section should fit well for your question : http://forums.samurai-archives.com/view ... 735883bf42 Obviously any other contribution will be appreciated and possibly posted there (after permission) by me or John. Best. PS. Artic Canada ? I know it's huge, but are you a buddy of John ?

Hi John, Remember Emmanuel and Tony on the Samurai Archives. Guess they need to droll a little on these...