Bazza

Piers, oh yes, I'm well aware of the interchangeability issues, but anything surplus to requirements is a place to start... specially with Bisen, especially as an oversize one can be carefully worked down. Thanks for the thought. BaZZa.

Piers and Brian, The attached photo shows what I need most to finish one teppo - the flash shield, its little bamboo-shaped locking piece, and a pan cover and pin. I am not at all fussed whether these are available or not, and I plead please put Brian's needs before mine. In addition to that I need one pan cover pin for another teppo, though its a part easily made. Now here is an impossibility. Two of my teppo as acquired were missing the Bisen. Again, not impossible to make, but if anyone has these as loose bits "floating around" looking for a home I'm it!! Best regards, BaZZa.

And quite possibly at the very same instant we are writing about this ... (sob). Brian, Piers, I'm in need of some lock bits, in particular the small, bamboo-shaped piece that locks the flash shield in place. I'd have to check, but I think I need a flash shield as well. I'll check in the morning and pick it up here. BaZZa.

Chuck, I'm as sure as the sun rises and sets that the sword in question is a WW2 Showato. BaZZa.

To my eye they are all Japanese. The variety of shapes in yajiri is amazing. My favourite is the curtain piercer... BaZZa.

The big cleanup continues to reveal long-forgotten gems, to wit an article on TEPPOU in TOKEN BIJUTSU, No. 397, (Heisei 2, 2 gatsu), pages 12 - 18. A simple reference for those who have the journals but who might have missed this article. BaZZa. EDIT: A photocopy is available for anyone who wants the article but doesn't have the issue.

Gentle Folk, As some of you will have read in other threads I'm having a massive cleanup and toss out. All sorts of interesting stuff I had forgotten about percolated to the surface from even 40 years ago. This thread includes reference to the West Point Museum and gives me a chance to mention a letter I got from the Museum 40+ years ago. The text is self-explanatory. Does anyone have a copy of the Museum Bulletin mentioned??? BaZZa. ============================================================= 11 October 1977 Dear Mr Thomas Thank you for your recent letter requesting a copy of the West Point Museum Bulletin on Japanese Samurai swords. I regret that this publication is now out of print and there are no more available. MICHAEL E. MOSS Curator of Art West Point Museum =============================================================

IMHO SHICHI BaZZa.

Maybe someone at some time thought it the real deal. The habaki especially looks VERY interesting and I'm guessing it is gold foiled with a unique surface design (= originally expensive). The seppa appear to be likewise. What I can see of the fuchi suggests something interesting. So, Harry, could we please see closeups of the fittings - habaki (blade collar), tsuba (guard) and the handle fittings, not forgetting the menuki, the little ornaments under the handle binding. Oh, and do you have the kozuka, the little knif and handle that fits into the slot at the handle end of the scabbard??? Never mind gimei (false signature on the blade), a nice looking overall "package". BaZZa.

Starter for LHS picture KIN SAKU TAKAYAMA TOU. Of the two columns one will be the polisher, the other the swordsmith I guess. BaZZa.

Ah so, humblest apologies. Sighhhh, one of the first lessons I had in my Japanese language studies was to "follow the discourse". I lost the plot here... BaZZa. EDIT: Decades ago a mate had some writing on a scabbard liner he couldn't figure out. He asked a Japanese co-worker to translate it and he came up with MR ARAI RUNS QUICKLY. I still have a record somewhere...

Neil, Jumping in FWIW. LH pic I see YOSHITADA. RH pic I see SHOWA 20th year 6th month. Have I missed somehting?? BaZZa.

Andi wrote: ... you won't find these thoughts in books... Andi - can you give a precis of the major discussion points??? This division of kinko vs old iron tsuba has been hacked back and forth on the Board. For example, I found this a most enlightening thread: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22873-help-my-awakening-to-old-iron/ And if one does an all forum search on manhole quite some numbers of other discussions pop up to be devoured by the devotees of either (or both!!) sides of the argument/discussion. BaZZa.

All, Pietro conveyed the information: ... was published by Iida Kunitaro, whose seal is also found on another tanzaku print associated with Doi ... Can anyone please give the meaning of tanzaku in this context??? Thanks, BaZZa. aka Barry Thomas.

A most noteworthy feature of this sword is the not often seen reverse takanoha yasurime (reverse hawk feather filemarks). The signature is also most elegantly incised. BaZZa.

Well, I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but to me David's tanto hamon looks more like sunagashi than "classical" imo-no-tsuru?? BaZZa.

I think its been said before - AAAARRRGGGHHHHHHH - yes, I forgot the link. Worse, I think I'm losing my grip!! Actually, your link is better than the one I had that just linked to a download site that one had to sign into. Thanks for seeking out a better result for a very interesting topic following on from Sen_no_Rikyū. BaZZa.

In the second last photo is the border a seemingly highly figured wood or lacquer imitating wood? Sometimes hard to tell the difference. If wood, does anybody (or nobody or somebody!!) know the name of the wood? A friend has a tanto the saya of which is a highly figured dark/black wood similar to the photo in question. Mmmm, shame Nihonto etc have to be shoved aside for other exhibits... BaZZa.

We should also note that the hangers are "upside down" for correct wearing of the sword... BaZZa.

The Home of Ashiya Tea Kettles: Ashiya in Onga-gun Just stumbled upon this - seems very interesting. The first hit is a pdf that seems difficult to download for me and I'm only posting this for someone who might be very interested in further following the topic. BaZZa.

The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated I best start this by saying google the met genji for all the hits.. Here is the New York Times review: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/arts/design/genji-met-museum-review.html Here is the met website itself https://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/2019/the-tale-of-genji BaZZa

Bob, and All, try a relief whisky - I'm presently nose down in a glass of fine Australian Shiraz from the Possums Vineyard. Mmmmmm - Shiraz, Mother - where have you been all my life??!! BaZZa. EDIT: I once lost a very nice tanto with richly engraved silver mounts of chrysanthemums. I put out LOST pamphlets locally and a newspaper LOST advertisement as well. In the fullness of time my then girlfriend (now my 50+ years wife) discovered this tanto in her knitted jumpers shelf where I had hastily "thrust|" it one night for safe keeping. My memory is scarcely better these some 50+ years later...

John, enquiring minds want know - do you think you have such a sword??? BaZZa.

Now, this might "technically" be a necropost, but if I ever saw it (and I've been here for 10-ish years) I don't remember it and TOTALLY enjoyed reading it through. I'm reminded that I have two handachi koshirae that I perhaps ought to post, but let's see if this thread has a renewed life... BaZZa.

MEIN GOTT!!! I let reading "Peter's Pages" slip for a while and I come back to a day or two's reading on its own!!! Well, I tuned in because I have found a couple of interesting things and thought I may as well post them here: 1. How Japan's ancient trees could tell the future http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190205-does-the-climate-shape-social-change 2. The survival of Japan's music rests on artificial ivory http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190403-the-survival-of-japans-music-rests-on-artificial-ivory Regards, BaZZa.