Toryu2020

and more...

and more

Yurie san It was a pleasure meeting you at the San Francisco Taikai - I mentioned I had ordered the hardback and you mentioned the paper shortage. Well I'm not sure where the paper shortage is because I got my book yesterday! It looks to be a fine addition to my library... -t

and mor e

Some more photos here...

It really and truly was education on par with the best displays in Japan. We at the NCJSC are grateful that the NBTHK/AB would choose our event for such a display. If there was any failing it was that we did not get the word out soon enough for more people to learn of this event and plan to be there. Given the times we are living in, this was understandable. -tch

Darrel - I believe with museums they want you to have to buy a ticket so they don't like photographs. In this case these were items held by private individuals, they want to reserve the right to publish at some point and they want the little added layer of security knowing their very valuable collections are not public knowledge. Barry - I do not think a publication is planned since several of the items were last minute adds but the NBTHK/AB may post a listing at some point... -t

Well Mark, I am afraid youre going to be disappointed. I can certainly post pictures of the show and will do so elsewhere. This display was fantastic - can hardly think of anything in Japan that was it's equal. In the end there were 10, ten! Yamato blades, most being Juyo, and text book examples of the very best of the five main schools. The fittings did not disappoint either. I think it was nine examples of Goto Ichijo work, all excellent works. The Ichinomiya Nagatsune stuff was just tops and seeing the sketchbooks alongside each piece allowed one to see how the artist made subtle changes to each design in the execution that really improved upon the original concepts. I wound up spending way more time in the room than I had planned but it was well worth it. Unfortunately NO PHOTOS ALLOWED! -t

Very glad to hear you enjoyed it and nice to see you made a find... -t

Bruce - I see nothing gets past you...

From the phrase - 布施ない経に袈裟落 - Fuse Naikyo ni Kesa wo Ochiru When the alms are not delivered the (Priests) sash will easily fall... Starting to make sense... -t

持越前翁 I am pretty confident about these four, thanks very much for the insight into the others that first kanji being struck by the mekugi-ana makes it difficult but this is brlliant! -t

another shot

The owner can read the Omote - Echizen O wo Motte however the Ura has us all stumped - I suppose Nobody will ever be able to read this... -t

A nice example and good work on your part... -t

Its quite legible, if I have time I can work it out but I am sure Nobody or somebody will read it for you before I do... -t

If there is writing on the other side, may we see the other side?

Johan - I think you have the answer already - it is Shinto, so between 1600 and 1868 - the shallow sori suggests Kanbun so 1640 to 1680, could be later but not earlier... -t

Great piece - I love happy endings... -t

Unfortunately no - travel restrictions proved too onerous for our usual Japanese guests...

Johan - "Or must I rather think that the faker has taken an older mediocre blade (perhaps kanbun shinto age) and put a good smith's name and date on it to make it look more desireable?" this is most likely - the better fakers try to match workmanship in a blade to a known artists work - this is why we see swords with gimei getting papered to the "fake" name that was previously on the nakago. When you think of shape you have to consider how such fads travel across the country - as we approach Kanbun in time the shape begins to "level out", in and around Kanbun the fad for straight swords was at its peak thanks to the popularity of shinai kendo - after Kanbun the curve slowly creeps back into blades - these features occur in Edo and Osaka which are the centers of culture and sword-making - they occur later in the "provinces". Obviously a Kanbun smith is not going to sign Nobuyoshi on a Kanbun blade cause he had not made his reputation yet, so the blade could easily be before Nobuyoshi but the faking has to have been afterwards. As to your other questions - tradition, school, and smith - these cannot be determined by shape alone and that is why folks are requesting more photos. If shape/era are the only questions, you have provided us with enough information, if you want folks to hazard a guess as to the rest you will need more close-ups... -tch

Nice looking lacquer work - could we see more photos - including one of the whole saya? -t

Clouds over a village...

I feel like we had another thread like this going already but...

From the recent Kashu To-ken exhibition in Kanazawa taken by a friend...