Bob M.

Very sorry to hear the news - from what I understood about his condition , this was a happy release , so to speak. I only knew him by repute ,and am sure that this was my loss rather than his. His achievements will live a long time in the nihonto world.

Those Ford Hallam pieces - look like they would make a nice pair of brooches or even tie pins.... Just have to knock out the mountings and signature strips first

This for sale on Fred Weissburg's site -http://www.nihonto.com/rh469.html Compare and contrast ? Bob

Sometimes inaction speaks louder than words.

Careful ! Don't go upsetting all those people with vested interests of talking up the second rate and mass produced , after all there is MONEY involved... Doesn't just apply to fittings of course , swords are more or less in the same category together with most art that passes through the hands of dealers world wide. Clearly there is an appreciable difference between most custom ordered / high end items and the mass produced 'popular' pieces . The practical difficulty in gaining acceptance of views of the relative merits of a range of objects is that someone 'in authority' usually has to pronounce on them - this is more than likely someone with a financial interest in the field , in other words , the wrong person. Very often it is difficult to make informed decisions or take views due to a lack of high quality material to study and the plain truth is that unless you study the top end , you will NEVER be able to form or give a credible opinion. This is why we end up with lots of so-so , overhyped crud doing the rounds , all the while detracting from the real quality that is out there if you look hard enough. So, whilst it would be a positive step to sort the good from the also-ran , I'm sorry , it's not going to happen. Bob M.

Hi All, Could I make an appeal for help following this event ? I am trying to find a gentleman - Mr Robert Deller whom I met at the Exhibition and have written down his email address incorrectly..... If anyone knows of him and can give me any info. , please PM me - Thanks ! Regards Bob Morrison

Hello Everyone , This film now on You Tube - Easy to watch in Full Screen ! Please pass on to other sites /contacts... Thanks !

Quick link to \\kickstarter double click on these - http://kck.st/1h3Pr4k http://kck.st/1h3Pr4k Regards

Hi Everyone , Just a quick reminder that there is only a short time left to make a pledge on Ford's Kickstarter campaign as detailed above... So , if you feel able to support this project , please do so as soon as you can. Thanks a lot !

Many Thanks to everyone for their input ! I will keep trying to improve and will post some better results as they occur... The tsuba used was chosen because of the difficult large areas of backlight together with the need to keep surface lighting under control so as not to get too many bright spots/ highlights from the inlays. On a different note , any attributions on the tsuba ? Regards

Thanks everyone for your interest and suggestions. I am sorry that I did not have enough time to add an equipment list to the post . In use - Canon EOS 5D II with Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 plus lens mounted ring light to augment other lighting/back lighting etc Manfrotto 055 PROB tripod Remote Shutter release I think the main problem stems from the weight of equipment on the end of the tripod mount in cantilever mode - even with remote release there is too much vibration , so I guess my next step is to use the mirror up function. I also have the Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens , but am doubtful that even with IS switched on that there would be any improvement. As a third ( ! ) and less weighty possibility there is also the Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM . So just keep trying all the combinations ? Also try to learn how to use Photoshop Elements..... Any preferences/comments from the above list ? Many Thanks

Hi, Just messing about with a tsuba and some newish gear to try and get some reasonable pictures - comments appreciated - comments along the lines of ' I wouldn't have started with that tsuba ' have already been made ! I realise the image is not in best focus , the camera requires more damping to stop vibration , possibly mirror up ? Thanks !

Hi Ken , If you look at the photograph of the papers , there is possibly a little more of the head still showing - they are old papers - but the placement of the mantis does not seem great , unless this was the desired long term effect ( probably something profound )... Regards

Hi Darcy, Are you referring to an associated set of fittings in Bonhams from May 2011 ? Sale 18823 , Lot No. 1 ?

Hi Everybody , I was looking at this piece again the other day , and recalled this thread . Can't believe it's been over six years !! Just wondered if any of the newer members of the board would have any ideas / input regarding if the tsuba was a commission and if the artist Momoe is recorded . Thanks !

Should have no problems getting high level papers from NBTHK - I assume that it will be submitted ? Nice discovery!

Hi, Have a look on Darcy Brockbank's nihonto.ca site - in his swords for sale section is a kogarasu maru style blade by Gassan Sadakatsu . There is also some info dating back to the 20/30's on selling prices for new blades from this master.

Hi All, Sorry for coming to this a little late - if you look at the large side on view posted by Brian , looks to me that this piece is showing several signs of having been profile cut . The apertures are showing witness of lines which are not quite vertical or straight - typical of the 'drag' effect when using a flame to cut metal . This compounded with a consistent band of colouration in the metal strongly suggests a one sided heat source . The opening in the material is also consistent with the effect that a high temperature has on laminated steel - it tends to de-laminate in precisely this way. It would be a simple job to add the finishing touches to such a profiled piece. The technology to produce precision profiled blanks has been around for many years , methods used include the traditional flame cutting , plasma ,laser , wire erosion and latterly ,high pressure water jet .The last two are unlikely to have been used with this piece as they would not leave evidence of heat having been used. Regards Bob

Hi Brian, The price paid for the Zeshin Inro is one in a series of record breaking prices recorded during the Wrangham sales - on this particular piece there were a number of bidders interested up to around the £90,000 level , but then it turned into a straight fight between two ( as almost always ). From around £110,000 , the auctioneer allowed the price to rise in small increments of mainly £2,000 and this went on until at a level of £193,000 , one of the bidders got fed up and put in a straight raise to £250,000. Interesting to listen to - and a good tactic on behalf of Bonhams ! I guess that if you have that sort of money available , a few tens of thousands doesn't make too much difference. Also you have the inro with the world record price tag of just over £300,000 inclusive of Buyers Premium - nearly double the previous record of £162,000 achieved in the first of the Wrangham sales. Just before anyone asks , I was a potential under-bidder on this piece , but Bonhams didn't give my bid of £75.00 the proper consideration I felt it deserved. Regards

Should have added - Is the plug made from bullet lead ?

Hi, I would suggest that this might be a ' made in the field ' tsuba - the hitsu-ana and nakago -ana look as if they were punched through . If you look at both hitsu-ana , the same punch reversed has been used and the shape of the nakago-ana lends itself ( by not being too pointed ) to being punched through hot metal. It would be an easy job to flatten the square after punching and then insert into a roughly made ring. Regards

http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/19295/lot/5/ Might this be of some help ? Regards

Hi, See page 5 of the 'What are your favourite fittings ' thread on this forum a few weeks ago . Original design was Toshinaga - many adaptions since of hugely varying quality - some chinese knock-offs - all the usual for a popular theme....

If a straight edge is applied to the image , it will be seen that both parts of the design are in almost exact register with each other - this strongly suggests 'extracts' from an overall shippo pattern . The two pieces of design should be read together and not as two seperate elements .

Hi Ludolf , Thanks for the info. - will be useful..... Regards