Shuko

They should be passing legislation that states any politician in office around the world who has an IQ below 100 will be euthanased.

I could sell you the Sydney Harbour Bridge for that much

I am planning a trip to southern Japan and was wondering if anyone has a list of antique shops or fairs/markets where they sell Nihonto. Even your experience looking or buying there or where to find the Kyushu shop links would be helpful. thanks

I want to know what drugs they issue to The Lanes Armoury staff or are they having a contest to see which one of them can conjure up the most absurd article on a fireman's hook.

Dale and I email each other quite often and he has been a great tsuba teacher to me. I think he is having pc and isp issues; he recently swapped his isp. My intuition tells me he is ok but the equipment has failed big time. Unfortunately he does not have a mobile phone but that is his choice in this modern tech world.

You told me that you made them .......................................

How did they manage to get 8 real tsuba to auction ? Must have been their lucky client day.

A true "miracle" happened at that PO..........................

For me it is a tsuba with character and obvious use (not workshop inflicted "age" chisel or punch marks) e.g. the "spirit" that Dale mentions above. Patina and the shape are very important to me and more often than not I prefer the cheaper shakudo tsuba with a brass rim (fukurin). The staggering diversity of what has been made means everyone will find something that appeals to them, whether they can afford it is another matter.

Dale I will buy them as a lot package. thx Clive

Nah, some Chinese "aged it" a bit too long ..................

Powerball better be good to me this Thursday night, I like to buy tanto.

Thanks for the help. According to Dale this is a rare 3 crane tsuba. I too initially thought it was a 2 crane tsuba.

Does this help ?

Could someone please translate this signature for me. It is on an old iron 3 crane tsuba. Thanks

Ah, so there is a new Kamon book adventure for you to do in your 'spare' time ................

Can anyone enlighten me on what these sukashi mean on this tsuba. Thanks

I don't know much about tsuba but this one seems very crudely finished and the ring of fake looking punch marks are on the outside of the nakago-ana. Doesn't look like it has ever been mounted on a blade. Chinese ??? Dale will 100% know all the answers.

Rubbing it in the dirt always makes it look older ......................;)

Hi Could anyone help me identify which clan used the two swans facing each other mon. This is on both sides of a black lacquered saya from an aikuchi tanto. thx

Just call it Panther Piss ................

For those who have little knowledge of go (igo) quite a few of the well to do samurai use to play it as it involves flexible thinking and skill; a part of their mental training. I t was mainly played by court officials and some monks. There were numerous castle games where professional go players would play to win titles and rankings. The most famous player in the historical period was Shusaku (1829 - 1862) who unfortunately died of cholera. Famous men like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu were all patrons of go but it was not until the twentieth century that it became a widely popular game in Japan. Note that there had been professional go players in four schools competing against each other for a very long time but government patronage was not organised properly until the 17th century. Invincible - The Games of Shusaku - translated by John Power and printed by The Kiseido Publishing Company has the important castle games if you are a player. Just like most arts in Japan it takes a lifetime to get strong or good and you are always learning things about the game, even the top flight 9 dan professionals never get to the top, no one can as it is infinite; this is part of the attraction to this simple to play yet extremely complex game.

Hi Jake I was 3d (sandan) but stopped playing years ago as my stamina and concentration have slipped with age. My sensai in Sydney was SongSheng Wu (Chinese 9 dan) but he died in 2007. Unfortunately he was a heavy smoker and couldn't stop.

Soren I am a go (igo) player so when you get the items could you please send me a photo of the kozuka on the lower left. Thx

72 Started when I was about 9 but stopped for 60 years when women fascinated me more. Sad thing is I know more about Nihonto than women and I know very little about Nihonto