sohei

Could it be Yukihiro 幸廣, Haynes H.12383.0? Mike

Of the Kato group, maybe Kanefusa or Sanehira, but I was also thinking Tsuguhira or Tadatsugu.

Back to the fuchi: the Kao (& mei) doesn't match the pictures of Yanagawa Naotsugu in the Kinko Meikan and Wakayama's Toso Kodogu Meiji Taikei. I don't see one that does match... Mike

I keep wondering when it is coming Chris. Looking forward to it, should be awesome! Thanks, Mike

I would like to go a step farther than Joe, Chris & others; I think the biggest hole that needs to be filled is with Gendaito swords. I would love to see a book, like the Gendai Toko Meikan (only bigger, both in size and content) that devotes a least a page to each smith’s work (pictures), and a page to his bio: born & died, where he worked, who he studied under, who his students were, etc. On major smith’s Gassan family, Toshihide, Shigetsugu, Okimasa, Yoshindo Yoshihara family, etc, you could devote a chapter to each one; set up more like the Gendaito Meisaku Zukan, with tanto, wakizashi, katana or tachi pictures, and pages for each smith as well as their students, their teachers, genealogy chart, etc. I would like to see Chris Bowen write a detailed chapter or two on Tokyo smiths. As the book progressed you could have newer smiths, like those featured in the Dentou Sennen No Bi book put out by the NBTHK, including a picture of their work, their bio, etc. There could be a chapter on all the winners of each year All Japan Swordsmith Forging Competition, of course fully indexed both Romanized & with kanji and page numbers where their work can be viewed. At lot of this work could be gleaned from existing books in Japanese, and the newer smiths from the web, or directly from them or the Association. Maybe the book could be published with the Association’s approval, sort of ‘see what smiths are working today and show off their work’ section in the book. Maybe it needs to be a series- Meiji- WWII, post War, modern smiths. Thanks, Mike

I think the shape is called ryo-shinogi-yari. Mike

I have bought several items from them, and never had a bad experience. Fast shipping, well packed, answers questions promptly & in English. Sometimes Mr Tsuruta has given me more info on the smith or artist than was posted. Like many have said, they have a large inventory that turns over fast, if you want something, I would not wait. I have seen items sell in one day. I have not put anything "on hold', so if you plan on doing that, you might want to ask him how long he will keep an item "on hold". Thanks, Mike

But I totally agree with you on the Heianjo, etc. I have picked up pieces that are NBTHK papered, just pieces I liked, not because they were papered. It is obviously Heianjo, so what would be the point of getting it papered to find out: it's Heianjo and "Edo"... (and these were all papered by people in Japan), Mike

Hi Jean & all, I submit the pieces that are signed, you touched on that with swords being papered. I check the mei with the books I have, if the mei looks good or is very close and the workmanship looks good, and the pieces are worthy of submitting, I try to have them thru shinsa. Chris' shinsa in FL makes that very practical & easy. That way, when you go to sell the pieces, the buyer has another opinion (besides yours!) that the mei is good. Not everyone has a big library to check the mei. I believe it adds value. The only exception for my collection, will be an early piece I bought from Bob Haynes, mumei, that he thought was one of the early Goto smiths. So verifiying Hayne's opinion. Thanks, Mike

Dr Thomas did an English index for the Toko Taikan years ago, if you PM me, I will send it to you. Thanks, Mike

I see a KAZUYOSHI listed on page 130 D, from Saga, in the Index to Gendai Toko Kinko, Shokugata Soran. Can someone who reads Japanese check and see if they say anything about him? Thanks, Mike

I recently picked up a little tanto (17.5cm nagasa, 25.4cm overall) signed 'KAZUYOSHI' and "dated", with a very long sayagaki which Markus translated: tantô, mei: Kazuyoshi saku (一義作) Shôgatsu kichijitsu (正月吉日, “on a lucky day of the first month”) sayagaki 千九百四十六年一月 senkyûhyaku yonjûroku-nen ichigatsu January 1946 研磨師　大山三代蔵 kenma-shi Ôyama Miyozô polisher Ôyama Miyozô 刀工　一義作 tôkô Kazuyoshi saku swordsmith Kazuyoshi saku sayagaki (other side) 日本桐生市永楽町一丁目一一七一番地 Nihon Kiryû-shi Eiraku-chô 1 chôme 1171 banchi Japan, Kiryû City, Eiraku district 1st block, house No. 1171 Chris pointed out to me that in 1946 swordmaking was illegal... So it makes you wonder was it signed with a false name to hide the smith's identity... Thanks, Mike

Peter and Chris are absolutely right, both these guys are giving you top-notch advice, and it would take a very long paragraph to briefly describe why this shouldn't be on your buy list. But, I am here to talk about the seller; he is Japanese, his name is Yuzo Maruyama, last time I saw him was at the San Fran sword show about 3 years ago. He is about the last 'motel buyer' out there, he picks up and sells a lot of swords, he is not interested in being your friend or mentor, he is interested in buying and selling. I do not know if he is a member on this list. He is not interested in 'fake' swords, so what he sells is probably the real deal. BUT, he told me he sends the good stuff back to Japan, but generally not gendaito. If you buy from him, it is going to be your responsibility to determine if the signature is correct, etc. So, if you follow him, you are going to see a lot of lower end pieces, that the signature may or may not be correct on, and gendaito and showato. This is of course, my opinion based on my dealing with him, and talking to him. Hope this helps you understand him as a dealer, follow Chris & Peter's advice on whether to buy.... Thanks, Mike

I am having trouble translating the mei on this tsuba, my best guess is MITSUKAGE (Haynes H 05226.0), but can't find an example to match the mei. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike

Thank you, Much appreciated! Mike

Does anyone have a genuine signature for the fittings artist JOSUI (如水). Haynes H 02221.0, interestingly she is a woman artist, student of Murakami Jochiku, another book lists her as a daughter. Thanks, Mike

The signature does not look correct either. He has a distinct "mitsu", among many other differences in the signatures. This is from "Studies in Kyo Goto" by Koju Kasahara & Shigeo Akimoto. Kanjo Mitsusuke, he was the second son of Jujo Mitsumasa (the head of the family the 12th), and died in 1798. Enjo Mitsutaka, his elder brother, succeeded to the family head (the 13th), and Keijo Mitsumori, his younger brother, was the 14th, after he was adopted. His works are few, but good.

Hi, To me it looks like a small bird on a branch, that is a plum (ume) blossom, might be plum blossom and birds motif. It also looks like typical offerings from the many Japanese shops (Zen Gallery, etc) selling now on ebay. On the low end side, but it is matching, and it is Japanese, and the price is great. Nice piece for your first piece. These shops occasionally offer better pieces, so watch for those. My 2 cents. Thanks, Mike

Markus has translated the Hon'ami origami as: 極 一 宇多友則 時代 貞治 長貳尺貳寸参分余有之 大磨上無銘裁断名判入也 光遜 昭和拾四年己卯 Kiwame (Appraisal) 1, Uda Tomonori Era: Jôji (貞治, 1362-1368) nagasa a little over 2 shaku 2 sun 3 sun ô-suriage mumei but there was once the name of a cutting tester inlaid Kôson Shôwa 14 (1939), year of the hare I find it interesting that he mentions there once was a cutter name, maybe the name was on a sayagaki? Surely he would not have seen the original nakago...?

So obvious I didn't check this one! Thanks for the suggestion Pier! Was concentrating on the Japanese ones, I will check tonight. Mike

Yes, Many thanks! Mike

Thanks! Please let me know what reference books you use. Mike

Last night Ron and I were discussing how hard it is to find a single KAO in the texts we have. Both of us have paged through the books we have and could not find these KAO. Any help from the board would be much appreciated. Mine is from a shakudo kozuka. Ron's is from a kinko tsuba: Thanks, Mike

Hi Chris, I think Hide said it was in the Hon'ami origami. Can you verify that? Thanks, Mike

Ok, I uploaded some pictures. Hide Hinomoto did the translation of the Hon'ami origami. He just sat down and wrote it out, at the sword show, so any additions or corrections would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike