Rich S

Zinc or tin or some Japanese alloy. Platinum doesn't tarnish. Interesting tsuba. Rich

I must have been doing something right - I've been buying high and selling low most of my life in cutlery collecting :-) Of course, I collect for my own enjoyment and don't ever count on making money of resale. Rich

Stephen - Agreed, haven't seen a true gendaito by him. I have one mentioned in Fuller and Gregory. I acquired it from the estate of my good friend and teacher, the late George Moody. I've kept it mainly for sentimental reasons. Contrary to the statement in F&G that it is a gendaito, it does have a very, very faint Showa stamp high under the habaki. It is mounted in WW II era civilian koshirae. Rich

I don't see a date on the page, but most of the text and pic of the swordsmiths looks like it was taken directly off my website: http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanezane.htm Rich S

For me the low end is about $300, not $3000. I remember (I is an old geezer) when I could buy a mint gendai Nagamitsu or Emura for $300 or under. I have one in your mid range that I got quite by accident, just turned out to be a great blade after polish. Ah, the good old days - I wasn't good and I wasn't old. I never expect to make $$$ on any of my swords, fittings, knives, etc. I collect just because I enjoy it and maybe I'm just a compulsive disorder type collector :-) Rich

I have a door, window, motion sensor alarm system (not for my collection, but it was for my wife when I was working late). Also have a loaded .357 at the ready which I can shoot with either hand and the wife is also a good shot. Also most of my collection is in a good quality gun safe and is fully appraised and insured. I don't like surveillance cameras; just leave me alone and I'll leave you alone. Just to be a bit political about the US elections: I want to vote for Willie Nelson! He'd win by a landslide. OK, US voters - how about a write in ballot for Willie? Rich

RKG - Thanks for the pic of the Tempo stamp names. Very useful. Rich

Looks to me like the nakago has been reforged and folded or something. Rich

My guess (?) would be early Edo, Heianjo school. But that's just a guess. Nice tsuba. Too bad some of the inlay is missing. Rich

Stephen - Not a Grand Master by any stretch of the imagination; just a decrepit, senile old man who still loves Nihonto and knives. Rich (the ancient)

I started my website, Japanese Sword Index in 1995, I guess it was a couple years later that I started a message board (free software). I was young and stupid then; now I'm old and stupid; but I've learned a lot from all the folks on NMB. Of course Rich Turner took it over several years later and improved it a lot, then 10 years ago Brian took charge and made it into the first class, top ranked, most used message board on Nihonto ever. Thanks much to Rich T and esp Brian - great job guys. Rich (the ancient)

I think the style is called gomoku zogan; that style was not uncommonly done on Saotome plates. But this doesn't look to me like a Saotome plate. I have a gomoku zogan daisho similar. Rich

Tony - Welcome to the forum. The best place to start in learning about Nihonto is to go to the links page at the top of every forum page; esp. check out those in the informational section. Many good websites with good info linked there. Rich

New Orleans is nice, but remember it is also a tourist trap. Antiques prices are sky high (at least were a few years ago). Enjoy the music! Rich

Zack - There is no culture of collecting (anything). It is a disease and now you are permanently infected! Enjoy as there is no cure. Rich

I've have/had several Nagamitsu blades and this one looks quite normal for blades with his (various) mei. Rich

Nick - Beautiful site; very well done. Rich

Lowe's, Home Depot and many hardware stores have bins and bins of individual small screws. Might try there. Just a thought. Rich

Never had a Kanenori, so can't comment on him. Have/had several Nagamitsu. IMHO, his work is excellent - papered by both the NBTHK and NTHK. For info on Nagamitsu see: http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/naga.htm Rich

While I agree there are obvious Christian tsuba. I do suspect that many of so called Christian tsuba with "hidden" motifs are basically the equilavent of seeing bunny rabbits in cloud formations. No disrepect intended to anyone. Rich

It's no surprise that I'm a fan of both Emura and Nagamitsu. However, I've not seen any evidence that Nagamitsu worked at the Okayama Prison except the assertion on Aoi Art website. I would love the find some history on Emura's lineage, but none has been forthcoming. I doubt he was self taught given to fine blades he produced at his shop (and/or his apprentices produced). Not at all surprising that both Emura and Nagamitsu have been papered (as has been long known). Anyone have any info on Emura's lineage/teachers, etc.? Rich

yes, wabi-sabi. Rich

By "tasteful" I meant by Japanese aesthetics. Something along the lines of shaduko/nanako gold fish F/K, iron wave tsuba, maybe a boat/fisherman menuki. While I'm aware that Japanese and Western aesthetics are not the same, I was just wondering about the mountings for Nihonto in Japanese style. I do feel (just my opinion) that Nihonto should be mounted as the Japanese would do so. Rich

Of course there are many original ensuite koshirae, but I was under the belief that most "tasteful" koshirae were complimentary, not totally matching. By "tasteful", I mean using Japanese aesthetics. Any thoughts? Not a criticism of anyones taste or koshirae. Rich

I love the puppy theme. I bought a puppy theme daisho as a rememberance when my best buddy Po died. It is just a Mito set, but one of my favorites. BTW, today 3/23 is National Puppy Day in the US.