Bazza

Well, this looks like a party I can join, and probably stating the obvious!!! Under the ICHI character it says "WAKIZASHI. MUMEI (SHIMADA)". That's my limit for today!!! Regards, BaZZa.

Brian commented in another thread viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7595&p=61426&hilit=sweden#p61426 that he feared shipping of swords would shut down: ---------------------------------------- From that little snippet, I am genuinely scared that we are about to see a worldwide new policy from EMS themselves, to not take any edged weapons anymore. In the politically correct mess-of-a-world that we have nowdays, it would not surprise me at all. It would be a tragedy here, as all other methods are unreliable and expensive here in SA. Pray I am wrong and paranoid... ---------------------------------------- I have just seen this on an ebay auction by Kanetoyo: http://cgi.ebay.com/K-Japanese-KATANA-S ... 255ac4e260 Part of the auction text reads: ---------------------------------------- For Australia, Europe, Canada buyer *USA,Germany,France,Netherland, UK, Italy is no problem, I will send sword at EMS or SAL. Now, EMS and DHL and UPS not accept sword. Shipping law changed about shipping item. Therefor, I will use surface of Japan post office. It take about 3 month from 2 month at surface If you need soon recieve sword, I will send sword at Fedex. In this case, Shipping fee is over USD250. ---------------------------------------- I have a friend here in Australia who has personally carried 3 swords to Japan for polish. On landing at Narita he declared three katana to Customs, who apologised and said that they would have to call the police. A policewoman came with white gloves and explained about art swords to the Japanese Customs people - good English was apparently spoken to my friend. The necessary forms were filled in, signed and my friend was on his way with the swords in 25 minutes. Everything went very smoothly. My friend especially asked Customs about the 3 swords limit that we had heard about. They said no, you can bring in any number (of course, this might depend on the airline) and all Japanese Customs wanted to know was where the swords were going and what was going to be done with them. Any other take on this??? It looks as if we here in Oz will be personally carrying our swords to Japan and personally picking them up after polish and shinsa... Regards, Barry Thomas aka BaZZa.

Do the inlaid spots suggest a leopard rather than a tiger??? BaZZa.

I'm pleased to come out of the closet and declare myself to be a "pinger". I once had a tsuba (a mate now has it on a Shinshinto koshirae) that was a Saga Kaneie iron tsuba that rang like a bell, a beautiful, sonorous ring with overtones. Of course, the workmanship backed it up. I hypothesise that the reason for the ring is the forging of the iron. The metal being compressed under the hammer must alter its acoustic response to being struck. I agree (and experience backs it) that obviously cast tsuba do go THUD. I think that if Chuck's cast tsuba rings, then it may be because it is modern, cast STEEL (as he speculates), quite different from cast IRON. All-in-all though, whatever the consensus or not of a bunch of forumites the ping is merely an incidental 'test' that is comforting to the 'pinger', much like a pacifier/dummy is for an infant. It is worth noting that the wheels of railway carriages are still subject to the 'ping' test with a hammer to gauge cracks. My final word on this subject comes from the Antiques Roadshow. The 'ping' test is performed on porcelain to detect cracks... Bestests, BaZZa.

Keith, KANABO means metal rod/stick and TETSUBO means iron rod/stick, so the two terms could be interchangeable - like HINAWAJU, TEPPO and TANEGASHIMA. Tetsu meaning iron I have also seen rendered KUROGANE - black metal. Regards, BaZZa.

Nice tsuba indeed. I enlarged the image in my photoapp and there is a lot of "gunge" in the cloud formations, the dragon carving and no doubt in the interstices of the nanako. The gunge is probably an accretion of dust from laying wherever it has been for perhaps a 100 years or more. Looking at the gilt tail of the dragon there is also a slight greenish tinge to the accretion immediately adjacent to the top side of the tail. I'm guessing this is a minute quantity of copper salt that has leached from the metal into the dust accretion. This thread seems an ideal place to discuss cleaning this tsuba. Is this something that could be accomplished, say, with a fine sable brush cut short so the hairs are somewhat stiff, then gently working it over the surface a very small area at a time with a conservator's solution of 50-50 ethanol-amyl acetate?? I particularly ask this question because I have recently worked through a collection of swords in a Government museum. The 21 swords ranged from abysmally worthless to a fine katana by Yamashiro Kunikiyo. They were all in a depressingly neglected state and covered in the wax so beloved of old-age "conservators" (yes, even the lacquer, tosogu and tsukaito...). My white gloves were nearly black after three days... Tsuba were mising, fuchigashira likewise in some instances, and menuki taken out of the binding. Some of these swords have been "around" in various Government departments for well over a hundred years, no one seemingly wanting to "take them on" seriously. My particular concern vis-a-vis this thread is a very nice wakizashi with malachite inlays in a black lacquered saya, the black ground also having finely crushed malachite through it. The tosogu are unsigned shakudo nanako that look very nice, but have that slight lack of elegance that suggests to me either very late Edo or Meiji workmanship. I have attached a couple of pictures that well illustrate the condition. The present curator is serious about bringing some long-needed attention to this collection, but suffers from that "ethnology" condition that appears to want everything left in its original "as found" condition. I understand this from a general ethnology perspective, but we all know Nihonto is different. This museum also has a "science-based" restoration laboratory. I would certainly appreciate opinions on this situation, both for Clive's tsuba and "my" museum's wakizashi. Best regards, Barry Thomas aka BaZZa.

Dear Ron, Thanks very much indeed for your most valuable comments. Having been around guns and swords for 45 years I have seen some savage abominations wrought on both, so when I got my 3 Tanegashima in quite good condition I did not want to do anything I did not know about that might compromise their condition and originality for future generations. I am grateful for your wisdom and advice. Best regards, BaZZa.

Ron and all, I would hesitate to oil the wood under the barrel where it beds. My three Kunitomo guns have clearly never been oiled under the barrel, while the stock outsides have been clear lacquered. The wood under the bbl is white and untouched. Two of mine are signed and I would never oil these for fear of the ink running. Could we have more discussion on this before recommending oiling this "under wood"???? The guns are 200 years old and have scarcely suffered any warping or cracking to the wood, so I even hesitate to oil the outside of the stocks, which are in excellent condition. Regards, BaZZa.

Of those few yari I have seen with suriage nakago all have been cut to mount in sword koshirae, mostly tanto. This was to make a cheap weapon for stabbing, as has been noted. Recently I looked through a collection of 20 swords in a museum. The first sword I picked up for examination was an itomaki tachi koshirae. I could see it was unusual because the saya was straight. A puzzle. However, the moment I picked it up I knew it was "something else" as it was as heavy as lead! On drawing the blade I was surprised to see a HUGE ryoshinogi yari with a suriage nakago. The tachi koshirae was nothing of note, so I'm surmising that the yari was remounted to sell as a Meiji tourist piece. The mekugiana is intact and the suriage is just below the last character of the mei - ?ZEN KUNI JU FUJIWARA SUKEFUSA. BTW, the first character of the mei is so faint I couldn't read it at the time. Does anybody (or Nobody?? hahahahaha - the joke has been made before. Sorry) know the smith at all?? It is interesting to see that the nakago jiri has been nicely rounded instead of being cut straight across as swords usually are. Regards, BaZZa. EDIT: Photography hint. When I'm "out and about" I've found it very useful to place tangs left to right and photograph with a flash. I take numerous shots at slightly different angles to make sure I don't get flare from the flash that washes out the image. Note I also rotate and crop the image. Postings on NMB could do with a lot more cropping...

As one who has a number of gendaito this has been a most interesting thread. I hesitate to ask, but does anyone think the tsuka on Keith's sword has been recently rebound??? It doesn't look "quite right" to me... Regards, BaZZa.

I believe you will find this KANETAKA in the MINO-TO TAIKAN. A mate of mine has one and it is also nijimei and a very nice katana. Sue Koto. I can give a reference if required (books hard to get to at present as I'm shifting rooms in our house). Bestests, BazZa.

My above-mentioned friend in yanone has had much contact with Dr Charles Grayson, an eminent archery authority, recently deceased. I've only just remembered his name and did a google with [ grayson yanone ] and got a couple of useful hits, one of which is the following book: http://books.google.co.za/books?id=QwmW ... &q&f=false The other was "George's Pictures" website: http://arco-iris.com/George/archery.htm with a direct link to the Charles E. Grayson collection: http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/grayson/grayson.shtml Remember that an alternative name for yanone is yajiri and just plugging the latter into google gives a number of hits. Regards, BaZZa.

OOOOPPS - WRONG THREAD - NOW HOw DID I DO THAT?????? See viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7325 for original context. With apologies, BaZZa. My above-mentioned friend in yanone has had much contact with Dr Charles Grayson, an eminent archery authority, recently deceased. I've only just remembered his name and did a google with [ grayson yanone ] and got a couple of useful hits, one of which is the following book: http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Qwm ... &q&f=false The other was "George's Pictures" website: http://arco-iris.com/George/archery.htm with a direct link to the Charles E. Grayson collection: http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/grayson/grayson.shtml Remember that an alternative name for yanone is yajiri and just plugging the latter into google gives a number of hits. Regards, BaZZa.

Gentle Folk, I have a Dear Friend who has collected yanone for a few decades. Corresponded with like-minded people around the world, including Japan, etc etc etc. Regrettably, he works 7 days a week to keep his business running and he is not computer literate. I know he would immensely enjoy such a dedicated thread, and has much to give, so I'll just have to be his proxy. A quick note to let the group know at least one such a man is "out there". Regards, BaZZa.

Gentle Folk, A cross-post from another list that may be of interest to Japanese Armour folk: ----------------------------------- From: Correus To: samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 1:53 AM Subject: [samuraihistory] Art in Armor Hello everyone! For those of you interested there is a stunning article in the March issue of Military History magazine called 'Art in Armor'. Absolutely beautiful article dealing with samurai armor. In fact, it is more of a pictorial than an article. Anyway, just thought I'd let you all know. Cheers! Larry ----------------------------------- Regards, BaZZa.

Dear All, ANTAI... Han Bing Siong (R.I.P.) many years ago wrote an extensive article on antai in I think one of the English "Token Bijutsu" as part of his series on "Studying at the Sword Museum". I've been away from home for 3 weeks and cannot access my library but I'm sure a little digging would find it easily. I look forward to someone finding it... It may also have been reprinted in either the JSSUS "Newsletter" (Ron H??), or the To-ken Society of GB "Programme" (Clive S???) Bestests, BaZZa.

Ray, Reaching into the dark recesses of my mind, I think I recall reading of Aoe blades having "spotted" steel and also I think I have read that chirimen hada is a feature of Aoe blades. I can see lots if nie (?) scattered over the surface of your blade and I wonder if this is "spotted" steel or just ji nie?? (EDIT) and chikei... For George's benefit, I once had a Bitchu kodachi that I must write about when I get back home in a couple of weeks... I have a full-length oshigata of it I'll have to dig out of deep storage... Regards to all, BaZZa.

Well, on the eve of departing interstate for a week with the prospect of a delayed participation in this thread, could I throw a "left-field" hook into this extreeeeemely fascinating topic. In terms of "What is the Japanese aesthetic vis-a-vis tsuba design?", what are we to make of the Japanese adopting Western trousers in the late Bakumatsu period leading to the so-called Zubon (trouser) koshirae, also known as the Toppei koshirae??? Are the forces of change as applicable to tsuba design as to koshirae worn with trousers?? With a different aesthetic in tsuba design?? The arrival of the "Black Ships" of Admiral Perry in 1853 (coincidentally or not, the beginning of the Bakumatsu period) brought to a sharp point changes already in the wind. The ukiyoe portray Perry and his crew with fierce faces, long beards, bulging eyes etc and must have changed Japanese artistic perceptions for anyone who saw them. These were very turbulent times with challenges everywhere, no less for artists, surely. I'm not well read in this area, apart from writing an undergraduate essay titled "The Universality of Japanese Art" over thirty years ago, so I look forward to learning more. I would suggest that the discussion must focus on the aesthetics of tsuba design before and after the Haito Rei (the banning of wearing swords in public promulgated in 1876). Up until that moment tsubako were making sword fittings for samurai wearing swords. In my little researches for these comments I found this website, which may offer interesting reading for some: http://www.shadowofleaves.com/Koshirae%20History.htm Regards, BazZa.

Hello, I too have my doubts that this is a piece of actual driftwood that has spent a significant amount of time adrift. G'day All, I've come back to this thread to see considerably more discussion than when last here. I've looked over all the images carefully and at as high an enlargement as the resolution allows. I'm convinced that the saya is indeed a "made" piece - the evident split in the saya clearly points to this. Further, I think the wood is cedar as one can see the medullary rays standing out amongst the decorative features. As to the wormholes, I believe we are seeing the artists rendering of the wormholes of a ship borer, most likely Teredo navalis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teredo_navalis). I've attached an image from wikipedia of Teredo wormholes. The resemblance to our subject scabbard is undeniable. I have seen enough work of the lacquer artisans to know that there is not a subject that is not within their scope and ability to render naturally. A purple silk cord immediately comes to mind. Earlier in this thread I mentioned a scabbard I once saw that looked for all the world as if it had twigs, leaves, grasses, etc etc stuck onto it. Although many years ago, I'm sure it was done in lacquer. I'm as sure that the scabbard under discussion is rendered in lacquer. The comment "The tie in with the metal fittings and the sea is really neat" hints at the pastoral connection with the sea. In the West, we might define "Pastoral" as a Literary Term Definition, for example a poem that depicts rural life in a peaceful, idealized way, or a painting that depicts shepherds or country life. For Japanese the sea provides pastoral images. What this scabbard conveyed to its owner is, however, beyond my meagre knowledge. Best regards, BaZZa.

Ah, TheKirsch, you're a hard task-master mate. I consider myself nudged... Paul, thanks for helping out Simon, my good-friend-who-just-lives-down-the-road. I think we had checked out 20 or more reference books for TheKirsch without success, but I didn't check the Meikan . That's for after dinner tonight when it's dark and I can't do any more mowing... Bestests, BaZZa.

Stunningly stated Gabriel, with elegant simplicity.... I have often thought that the taste of (some of) the ruling class ran to gauche, but it was their taste... Possibly an exemplar of this taste was Toyotomi Hideyoshi!!?? BaZZa. EDIT: I meant to add that I have seen a wakizashi here in Oz that had a similar themed koshirae, particularly as per the saya, which I remember clearly, but not the rest of the koshirae.

Dear Ron, After DAIJO. as you note, the characters are hard to read. I get a feeling of NAGA about the first one, but the second may well await the expertise of your son to take a high resolution closeup. Regards, BaZZa. EDIT: Morita san, thank you so much for identifying the kanji - sosho script is beyond the ability of most on this Board to read, I'm sure. Salutations, Barry Thomas.

Koichi san, Thank you for that - I was just about to get Nelson out and start "serious" work... Ron, need a better closeup photo of the "something, something" characters after DAIJO. Regards, BaZZa.

Ron, Off the top of my head the mei begins OSHU KUNITOMO... The rest would take getting the books out and I'm sure someone else will have read it by then... The small script to the left of the mei looks it could be a number '22 dai' ??? (One of my teppo is numbered '21' on the bbl, breechplug, lock and stock). The gold inlaid kanji is beautifully rendered. Regards, BaZZa.

Mariusz, I would go further and say that the kanji was written by a gaijin, someone not at all familiar with writing characters... Regards, BaZZa.