Toryu2020

Dear All - We have updated our website with a new FAQ page: http://www.toryu-mon.com/Toryu-Mon/FAQ.html Please share this with anyone who may be interested. If you are coming to the sword show be sure you request your hotel reservations under the "sword show" rate. Looking forward to seeing all in August... -t

Eric I stand corrected, Would agree that the hoods are an Edo-period development or would you say widely used pre-1600? Also need to correct my spelling sune not "tsune"... -t

Look closely gentlemen - Guy number one is wearing a pair of sode as kusazuri Guy two looks most authentic but his helmet is actually for fire fighting Guy three has on two pair of haidate, the second of which protects his ankles! Guy four is wearing fire fighting gear and his tsune are on sideways More likely these are townsmen posed by a European photographer, Beato perhaps? -t

Jason - Besides the comparison to the mei, look closely at the figures. Masterwork is sharp and clear down to the finest details. master carvers add hair, nails, lashes and other minute details one can only see with a loop. Muddy off center faces, and chunky armour on bodies that appear too large or too small in perspective are not signs of the best work. Sorry to say but I would keep lookin... -t

If you do not expect to bring it out for frequent viewing, then oil it and wrap in saran wrap. paper saya are fine but not climate controlled - also can be dangerous with a sharp blade - certainly have seen plenty of these but if its for storage, I say go for a simple "wrap" job... -t

Some great footage there! Now we see how all those little old ladies got their swords... -t

Terrific work. -t

ANdrew - Let us know if you get your hands on the tanto - interesting piece... -t

Might have been better looking without the inlay, FWIW I would look at later schools from Tosa... -t

Fifth Master ain't bad man, Put up some photos when you've the chance Clive old bean :D -t

There are at least 20 Nobusada listed in the Meikan, If it were me I would be looking into the Kaga group... -t

Andrew - Impossible to say whether the blade can be restored based on these photos. In hand inspection is the only way to say for sure. Not familiar with that smith so the mei may in fact be genuine. As to the mounts, Satsuma koshirae have very specific traits which are fairly easy to recognize. Many of them were of poor quality in comparison to workmanship seen elsewhere. This koshirae doesn't look to my eye to show any Satsuma traits other than the poor quality. It certainly looks like it could be from the late Edo period and contemporaneous with the rebellion but I for one would have to see more evidence before I'd agree that it was part of that event... -t

Thanks Ian - I hate to ask but does no price mean no sale? -t

Saw some neat stuff in the catalog, Any listeros make it to the preview or sale? Do we know how the sales went? Can we expect a review from TSGB? -t

I like the tsuba... -t

Old Japanese saying "The life of a sword equals one battle or 500 years". Never heard that one before Keith - can't imagine why I would need to correct you - I may want to use this myself... -t

Don't forget the sayagaki - A really nice hand at work it seems but do not trust any attribution where the man was unwilling to sign his name...

Miki Tokukazu - founder of the PL Kyodan, a Shinto based Cult...

All - I always understood it to be for application on wood. Things like tansu and such. Anybody know of or used it in this manner? -t

Not a bad get at 56 bucks - Though I am of the opinion people had better handwriting 120 years ago... -t

Did anybody mention these are killer!? -t

Could it be that this blade is a single piece of steel formed into a blade - thus thinner and lighter by just a touch - forge folded certainly but not with a separate softer metal core? If this is a blade by a shinsaku-to maker but made for Iai and Tameshigiri, I am not certain but I believe this is what they are referring to... -t

What do I look like a Tauron?

Amen - Gabriel! I have been into this subject 25 years - I own may be 4 swords - I was so mad for swords I moved to Japan for five years, where I went to every kantei-kai and museum exhibit I could get to. Now I have a collection in my head that none can equal, none can steal and I get to take it with me when I go... -t

Ugly, yes not to mention NOT REAL Nihonto - would you be satisfied with an inflatable doll? Don't buy it...