Mark Green

Thanks Chris, Not likely the Shinkai. Likely gemei. The sword looks Shinshin copy of Nambu era I'm helping a friend sell it. Flawless 28+in monster, with cool fish-tail hamon. If the current sale falls through I will try to list it here. Here are a few pics

Hi Gang, Can someone help me out with this date. Thanks

Hi Pete, Thanks for the pic. I love that tsuba! As for cleaning, what Gray said!!! Way cool Mark G

Nice tsuba Peter. The roped ox. Can we see the other side? Thanks, Mark G

Nice sword Jim. I looked quick through the Bungo-to. Couldn't find any pics of the mei. Looks like your sword was well kept. I would just keep it as is, and enjoy. Bungo made swords were renown for their strength. A fighting mans sword. Enjoy, Mark G

Thanks Ken! That is a great library of designs. I got some made for some gifts. Done quick, but came out ok. The people that recieved them as gifts liked them. The tsuba could have been better. About on par with that sites tsuba I guess. The crane is shibuichi, and 24k gold eyes. The wheel is some nice home made tamahagane. I just love that design. Thanks for the link. Mark G

Thanks Dave, That's a pretty spiff double crane. Most you see side by side. In my searching, I have found dozens of cranes, but none of my drawing yet. Hard to believe that there isn't a pic of the Nishigaki crane anywhere. I wonder if it is on a sword somewhere? I guess people didn't like the design. I have found no copy pics anywhere. I personally like the design a bunch. A lot more solid looking then most crane tsuba designs. Thanks for the link. I will add that to the collection. Mark

Hey thanks Mike. I like that one too. I have never seen the origional one from the drawing. Never seen a copy of it for that matter. Thanks for looking, Mark G

Hi guys, I had another tsuba I was hoping someone may have a pic of. I made this sketch while at a friends house. He lost the pic. Anyone seen this one? Thanks for any help.

Hi Gang, Does anyone have a picture of this actual tsuba by Higo Nashigaki Kanshiro. The drawing is in the' Lethal Elegance' Book. I have never seen a pic of the real tsuba, or a copy of this design. If you have seen one, please send it to me. Thanks, mark G

Yes, that is the way I always thought about it. But I have seen the other extreme written many places. Thanks

There were quite a lot of these made in late period. For export I would think. The glass is powdered and painted on the steel/whatever and baked in a kiln. A type of enameling. Much like stained glass of Europe. I would think the Japanese may have picked it up from them. Most were likely made after the time of the Samurai. Many masters did play with it some.

Gotta love that Nakago ana :lol: Not for use with a sword. I doubt if cloisonne (glass) would hold up to real use. I have seen some very nice cloisonne works though. A novelty at best. Some of his other tsuba are nice.

Hi Gang, Great subject. I have always wondered. Where did the idea that cleaning the inside of sukashi tsuba was a bad idea?????? It makes no sense at all. If the rust is eating your tsuba from the inside out, how can that be a good thing. If rust, and mud, lint, cat hair, and lord knows what else is stuck to the inside of your nice sukashi tsuba, why would you not clean it? Where did this silly idea ever come from? Do the tsuba guru tell where your sukashi is from by how much oil, and belly button lint, is stuck to your tsuba??????? Please clear this up for me, if anyone knows.

Nice Ron, Thanks for sharing. Love that patina.

I would say nice get. The polish is not bad, the fittings look good, and the sword looks great for it's age. I would say you got a bargain. Aren't recessions great for buyers of swords!

I found this one too.

Someone practicing their inlay skills???? It looks like a non pro, or student piece to me. The inlay is very 'rough', and some has fallen out. There is a lot going on there though. It looks like it was a lot or practice. A garden seems right???

Very Pretty!!! Good pics too. I would say post a few more. Mark G

Hi Jerome, The hamon looks quite normal to me. I love those mountings!!!!!! To me, it looks like the sword smith scraped away some clay to form hardened areas in Bonji characters. Kinda spiff, in a way. I wonder if it turned out like he wanted it to. I have never seen this before. Mark G

Can we see some pics of the Yari? Mark G

Nice set Maurice! I like the artsy inlay under the poem. Mark G

Patina Gota love it.

Gee, Thanks Reinhard, I have a calibre. "Is that kinda like a way" Sorry if I confused anyone. I just didn't want to get Steve all worked up before we could see some new pics. I think you have nailed it Reinhard! It was signed 'Ichi', and someone added a few strokes to it to make it a Sa. That's a cool pic btw. Does it look like a non pro has polished this? It doesn't look like it's been polished for quite some time to me? Steve, From all that you have qbserved, I think it is looking good. Here is a great link to look at some old 'organic' looking swords. http://www.jp-sword.com/files/meito/meito.html Mark G

Very Nice!