Toryu2020

Mik - Your date is 天保十亥 or Tenpo Ju I nen or the Tenth year of Tenpo junior year of the Earth Rat.　I think Yoshinobu is correct not sure of the family name - may look at it again later but suspect others will suss that out before I do... -t

Kanefusa sayagaki number one appears to say; 長サ壹尺有之 or Nagasa: Isshaku kore ari If I may say this is an exceptionally well written sayagaki, I should be interested to see any information on the reverse of these. The length as given on number two eludes me as well... -t

Just MHO but I would not risk any dollar amount - looks like the front end of a katana re-worked into a tanto, not good... -t

For those thinking of coming to this years Taikai, The shinsa slots for Friday are full up, Saturday is going fast - if you are thinking of submitting blades now is the time to get your registrations in. We have updated the website with a Team Bio page: http://www.toryu-mon.com/Toryu-Mon/NTHK_Team.html Please check it out and feel free to ask us any questions, -t

Great tsuba! A sake cup and gourd - I wonder if that is an in-theatre retrofit, a man after my own heart... -t

Save your money and wait for the next one... -t

I would agree that is a lotus seed pod and the theme is simply "Autumn"... -t

Has anybody figured out how to load these onto an iPad? -t

Thank you Mr. Moriyama, That makes way more sense "thickly tempered in ko-nie"... -t

Mark - Thanks for those. This is what I think I see, though I have to say I am not sure about some of this; 三原住貝定守　　無銘　　　直調小鉦深き出来良工　　　長　壹尺七寸有之　　　昭和壬子年春日 Mihara ju Kai Sadamori Sugu-cho ko-gane Fukaki-deki Ryo-ko nagasa 1 shaku 7 sun kore ari Showa Mizunoe Ne toshi Shunjitsu Kai Sadamori of Mihara (mumei) suguha - tight jigane - deeply tempered - a skilled maker Length 1 shaku 7 sun (this attribution given) on a spring day in Showa (sorry I don't have the right book handy) a year of the rat Suiken (Kao) Fukunaga Suiken is perhaps the most prolific writer of books on Nihonto - a man who came up in the sword world before the war - a student of Takase Uko, (among others), founder of the NTHK, a doctor and a friend to any student of the Japanese sword - He was for many years part of the NTHK under Yoshikawa Koen, where he was an integral part of their shinsa team. Thanks for the chance to check this out, -t

Mark - Sue-Mihara is likely around Tenbun/Tensho. Toshinaga (Jumyo) on the other hand is all across the board, the shape will be the best clue to the time-period. I believe your sayagaki is by Fukunaga Suiken - if you have the time I would to love see close-ups of that sayagaki... -t

Should be available thru KENDOWORLD.com... -t

Thank you Sir! Lucky you, to have so many Ko-sori blades you can't keep the papers straight... -t

Very well, Why don't the nakago pictured on the kantei-sho and the nakago on the sword as pictured match? -t

The measurements given don't match either, Brian - are you gonna let him know? -t

KANTEI-SHO ITEM: ONE WAKIZASHI - UNSIGNED (UDA SCHOOL) We have examined the item listed at right and found it to be genuine HEISEI 2 Nen Shogatsu 29 nichi HOZON TOKEN KANTEI-SHO MUMEI (UDA) LENGTH: 1 SHAKU 1 SUN 4 BU... -T

An example of one page from a pattern book - found in a used book store... -t

FWIW - and for the benefit of those like me learning the language SU, JU, AGE (寿)　is the simplified version of the same kanji (壽)　which is also read as Kotobuki... -t

I think you have the right translation but maybe not the right kanji - I see it as 寿　JU... -t

From the Shinto Oshigata Shu, the Shodai at least did Sosho mei - Yasusada is well published, will look at other references tomorrow to see if I can find some other Sosho mei for this group of smiths... -t

Definitely Shintô - An excellent finish on the nakago and a practised hand in the signature - My reading would be Yasusada (安定) of the Edo Yasutsugu school - an important smith if indeed this is he... -t

Nice work- -t

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