Bazza

Remembering also his memorable articles in the English Token Bijutsu... And (his??) book Japanese Swords in The Netherlands... BaZZa. EDIT: Maybe it was "Japanese swords in Dutch Collections"?

Decades ago I went to look at a sword and it was 'bleh', but sort of real looking. I declined to buy it and the owner said he would 'show it to the Japanese gentleman who visits from time to time' (Mr Nakayama for those who remember him). I left my details and asked if he would let me know the outcome with the 'Japanese gentleman'. Much to my amazement quite some time later the owner did ring me to say that the 'Japanese gentleman' did buy the sword at a price I wouldn't have paid, saying it was a Kabuki sword. It was the only sword like it I have ever seen. BaZZa.

Hmmm, at first blush looks interesting. It seems to be antique, en suite, what about the blade?? BaZZa.

This one looks like it was made for the Aztec export market!!! BaZZa.

Brendon, and the kozuka for our delectation?? Thanks, BaZZa.

Lovely pic with one whack in the eye. Here's my version.

Then there is that -ZEN kanji... Not mainline Tadayoshi. BaZZa.

Ian et al, I remember talking with Roger about this sword and my recall is that the sword in question was 'short', perhaps 60.6 cm/2.0 shaku or less and the question was whether it was considered a wakizashi... BaZZa.

Jacob, welcome to the Board. The following thread is now 7 years old, but I still find it a good now-and-then read, with pointed discussions and recommended reading: Best regards, BaZZa.

Years ago I saw a mamorigatana tanto by a Gendai Seki smith with a lovely dragon horimono. A friend at the time bought it and I always hoped it would come my way. Alas, other pearls came into my orbit and captured my means. It is on the Board somewhere. I agree with Volker that such tanto have received too little attention, though Chris Bowen is well up in their study. I hope one comes to you eventually Dee, a very worthy target indeed. If one puts mamori into the Board's search field there is quite a lot of contributions on tanto. Here is a link to where the tanto I mentioned is found on page 2. Regards, BaZZa.

Simply... WOW!!... BaZZa.

More on this subject when I get a sword back from lending out to a mate... BaZZa.

RobCarter3 wrote: > There is a single togari-ba element on the omote side (otherwise suguha), so possibly Mino den? A picture is worth a thousand words. A single togari-ba element - is there a name for such a feature?? BaZZa.

The boushi appears to be intact, but perhaps another photo (take 20 of them!!) with slightly different angles may show more. What I see is that the hamon continues around in kaeri meeting muneyaki. But much more exciting is the seeming appearance of a tobiyaki in the 'round' of the hamon kaeri. Am I wrong?? I have only one reference in my decrepit brain banks of such a feature. Glenn, can you also please do your magic on the other side of the kissaki as well as the hamachi that David has asked for??? Best regards, BaZZa. aka Barry Thomas.

I vividly remember seeing photos of his collection and drooling... BaZZa.

From my failing memory and long ago gun collecting days, boiled linseed oil could be used on gun stocks. Applied by hand and lovingly rubbed into the wood and left to 'dry' between coats. Boiled linseed oil, to some extent like lacquer, polymerises to a tough, water resistant coating. If true that Guido has passed it is indeed a tragedy for his family, wider friendship groups and, of course, the Nihonto community. I wait with bated breath for confirmation or otherwise. BaZZa.

Seconded, thirded, fouthed, fifthed... As a collector with for the most part no interest in martial arts as a practice I found this a more than excellent read. Thank you Peter for bringing us to the 'practice' side of collecting, BaZZa.

It was very common to lacquer iron tsuba and fittings. Decades ago I had a nice Shinshinto koshirae with all-iron fittings. It was plain that the tsuba had been painted with 'something' as I could see the thickening here and there and whorls in the coating. I tried various solvents, but nothing would touch it. I even tried xylene, which is primarily used as a solvent (a liquid that can dissolve other substances) in the printing, rubber, and leather industries. Along with other solvents, xylene is also widely used as a cleaning agent, a thinner for paint, and in varnishes. Of course, I later learned that lacquer was pretty much resistant to all solvents, so Hamfish do re-think this. BaZZa.

Its an aficionado's piece... Gave me one helluva chuckle once I worked out that it wasn't a battlefield scene!! The shtik above also gave me a series of loud chuckles - a stick, a twig, a branch... Wonderful exchange. BaZZa.

Bryce, OTTOMH I recall that kanji is also read SEI 'manufactured', as seen on other tsuba. BaZZa.

Yes Peter. welcome back indeed. What have you been doing while you've 'been away'?? How's Werribee??? BaZZa aka Barry Thomas. (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)

G'day Kurt, First item of business to lubricate the discussion is to please show us some good pictures of the sword... Regards from Oz, BaZZa.

I feel your pain! BaZZa.

Aaaaagh, MAAAATE, so sorry to hear of your pain trip. If it helps, a week ago I spent 2 1/2 hours in local dentist's chair having an upper back molar extracted, only to hear her say "I'm sorry, but I'll have to refer you to an oral surgeon". 3/4 hour next day in the oral surgeon's chair... The only 'consolation' is that it was the same oral surgeon who took out my eldest daughter's impacted wisdom tooth. Now, nine days after the surgery, still the slightest pink in the first morning spit!!! Oh, Brian, I grieve for you and I expect the entire NMB populace is wincing in sympathy pain, as we do for all our Brethren who fall foul to Mother Nature's mercies... Get well soon mate... BaZZa.

I have a nidai Tadahiro wakizashi (unpapered) that in the hand just feels as if it is begging to be put to work... Mmmmm, I can imagine a Samurai of yore with the same sword in his hand wondering 'if it would...' BaZZa.