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Dear Dr.Liss and Curran, Thank You for your invaluable input. I am building a personal reference guide and making notes as a progress with my study. I am going to see if I can find the thread you mentioned because I find reading and following the treads on this site to be very revealing. And now after just recovering from a system crash, I'm going for a "cold one"! Respectfully, Ed F.

WHEW!!!, am I am relieved, My vent is the arts, can't say I can relate (to your profession), but given the market over the past decade plus I think I understand. In any event I feel much better, thanks for the heads-up. Mr. Christianmalterre was good enough to share pages from the JOLY book that had a Hojiusai Hirochika listed. What I now know (not a lot, granted), is that the Hiro character as it applies to this school and is in a way a kantei point. Ludolph's post was awesome, wish I had ref material like that in hand and, I was impressed by your retentive skill and knowledge! Thanks again Curran Ed F.

True Mr. Raymond singer but whats in it? I thought that not much info was provided as they did in the past, plan to go to exhibition anyway at least to look. Ed F.

Greetings, I received a flyer that Eldreds Auction House on Cape Cod MA will be having a Japanese sale including nihonto and related items. Thought someone may want to check it out. I think the link is eldreds.com. Ed F

Dear Curran, I regret that u feel your generous efforts to assist me was not appreciated or possibly being challenged?. I will miss any scholarly input from you and regret u feel that way about me. If u are interested, From the Transl. thread; “I am traveling, ie. no books and I don't know this guy. Maybe someone else can look it up in Haynes and type or scan in the info. Hiro is the same version of the character as used by Hirotoshi (aka. Hironaga) and his dozen students in the Uchikoshi school. If someone has the Baur collection, they might see….” “Going off Richter-san's examples from database, it looks good. Haynes 01300 ? Curious to look….” I did not understand that all the students used the same “Hiro” version ( though, it could be read that way), and was continuing to research for his given name and time-line. Kept coming up short on the internet resources. In any event, I’m sorry and remain in your debt for the valuable information you so generously provided me, Respectfully Ed F. I got server error message and was instructed to check and resend? sorry about the duplicate.

Dear Christian, I am very grateful for your effort, thanks very much, I hope I can return the favor some day. It appears that there was a Hojiusai Hirochika, obviously a student. I wonder if all the students signed the "HIRO", the same as the master. I will research it further and if u are interested I'll pass it on to you for your notes. Respectfully, Ed F

Dear Mr G. Trotter, FYI In researching the "Sekiju" direction I found one and I wanted to note to you that the source refers to edge signed kozuka or kogai as "Kibata-mei", and this was a Goto lineage kozuka with that characteristic. I'm not sure the sig holds up but this is an interesting direction. I am gratefully yours, Ed F

Dear John, I'm new and working on learning to read the characters. The first I believe is Shige and the second i think is naga. Perhaps u can find some info on the net to verify that. I turned up one smith (Ugo Province, Shimosaka School)' who produced around 1789-1809?, (don't know if they are same, if i am correct), I need a reliable sig ref. Perhaps another member will help or correct me. Others may want to see the blade and whole tang. Ed F. F. I would take Chris Boens help to be correct. Sorry for the confusion Ed F

Greetings Members, Q98 This Fuchi kashira is signed Hirochika and Kao. (Uchikoshi Hirotoshi, aka Hironaga School) late Edo. It is Shibuichi plate with high relief carved and inlaid copper, gold, silver and shakudo. Accordingly, Hirotoshi executed “Hiro” in the same manner. I guess my question is are they one in the same person or is Hirochika a student? If anyone is willing to respond, I am wondering what the zu depicted is or represents. I have been provided with signatures for a comparison and concluded this signature to be good. Respectfully, Ed F

Hi Brian, I saw that, I was just sharing my experience in the thread. Ed F.

Members, I wonder if there is any connection with a "Maskim" that contacted me from Russia with some pretty decent looking Asian arms which included nihonto, armor and muskets for sale from Russia. I requested some details and proof of ownership etc and never heard back. Just sharing, be cautious. This happened months ago but i remembered the name. Ed F

Hi Curtis, I'm relatively new but have seen him make similar posts and inquiries on other similar sites and noticed that the same pitch has been or ends up here. I think he is out there farming in my honest opinion, but its only based upon my observed speculation. I would be suspect. Ed F.

Greetings members thought I'd post more images and my descriptions for your enjoyment and discussion. I'm a beginner and hoping for all the help i can get and welcome that. I am hoping for opinions, expansion upon or, corrections to my post. I fell that the Tsubaka might enjoy the examples and discussion etc., will educate us all and foster the art form and its preservation. I have posted two items on this post and I would like to say I was unable to completely translate Q87 so that I might research the smith, hopefully someone will share that, Otherwise my descriptions have been made based upon my research and input from my research effort, generous member contributions and others so please feel free to engage. Thank you in advance. Respectfully, Ed F

Thank you Brian, that would certainly be a must have, if it were! Respectfully. Ed F

Dear Mr. Ludolf Richter, Thank you very much for the post and your participation. The database I'm assuming represents verified or papered signatures I am sure. At a glance i would say that this piece is not gimei. If I may ask, is this post taken from a book or electronic database that can be purchased? I wonder what it might be titled. Thank You very much for the help, Ed F.

Dear Mr. T. C. Helm, Thank you very much for the response. I was distracted by the fact that the plate did not speak Choshu as i would expect of course only the schools I'm familiar with. Of course things /styles/smiths change as well as what a customer may be seeking. Had the sig been a little better, i might have landed there. I'm happy to see i got the other, thanks again. I'm a beginner but i can see that I'm beginning to recognize some of the character variants and am improving. Respectfully, Ed F.

I knew that the Suda used the ura side (reverse direction) but similar shape. I don't have a list right now but had about 7-8 variants with names. Thanks for that I enjoy the topic, first exposed when i actively collect woodblock prints. Respectfully, Ed F

I have a tsuba that I'm thinking may have been an alternative choice when the Goto school could not fill their orders because of the demand, possibly the Nagoya School. I could not get a good scan primarily because of the condition of the seppa dai. I have included three images (Q87, 87-1, 87-2) and by one of them u can see I'm not an artist. I am hoping someone will be familiar with the residence of based upon what can be seen. It might end in aki-Ju. As for the two character name signature the second character may be chika. No clue on the others, please help. The other fuchi item Q103-4, I believe is Tadamichi? any confirmation or correction will be welcome. Thank you in advance, Respectfully Ed F.

Thanks for the info Mr. Trotta, Sorry about the other comment as it was Robert S, in the translation assistance thread regarding a Shozui Tsuba, i meant to post to, i confused myself and was thinking you were he. Sorry and Respectfully, Ed F

Hi bugyosuji?, I understand from the research i conducted that the encircled mon was an order by the tokogawa shogun, date i cannot recall, was a standard he imposed in order to standardize the practice and use of mon. It applied to clothing as well. Hachisuka, i believe controlled the waterways, primarily the Kiso river during momoyama, perhaps earlier and into the edo periods. He knew water navigation, transport and shorelines which was an asset to the rivaling clans and probably how he prevailed at that time in history. At that time the roads were few, difficult to navigate and unsafe. He was first aligned with the Ashikaga/Date Masamune and later Hideyoshi and finally Tokugawa. You can Google his tomb and monument in Tokoshima and see the mon on it. Before the last of the Hachisuka died in 1918, he adopted a son so that he would have an heir. Oddly or not it was a child of the Tokogawa lineage, name skips me. He died in 1953. The Family residence in Tokyo was sold to the Australian Government for an Embassy around 1953-5. I did the research two years ago, this is part of what i recall, may be fragmented. Ed. F

Hi again Mr. Trotter, Thought i should mention for your information an others who may be following this thread that I encountered 7 or 8 variations of this manji and they are all unique in design and shape relevant to other families etc. My comments apply to the one i poseted (exactly as you see it no circle, borders, curves etc. Ed F.

Hi Mr. George Trotter, I did extensive research to locate an heir for the owner who wanted to return the Yasutsugu sword. I only sent a blip of my research for the benefit of interested members. I understand that the philosophy may apply though i came away from my research the it had a meaning of strength and intellect. Incidentally, Hachisuka was appointed Minister of Education by the emperor around 1880s, if i remember correctly. And regarding compassion nobody with Buddhist influence or beliefs, even in china, would challenge that as it on its own also represents the Buddha. Thank You for responding and helping to make this a great forum, Ed F.

Hi JohnB, Thanks for that, I will bank the links and review them. I could not resist because i thought it looked so good. I think its a good one but i dont know for sure. Thanks Ed F

Thank You very much for your input Mr. Trotter, Are you saying that I am wrong with the first character (Ishi)?, I know it is very similar to the seki stamps I've seen on sword but have also seen it used in names as Ishi. Re; the kozuka, I went there too and came to a similat conclusion, #s, part, sword, owner ref etc. I Felt that it was not "confident" enough to be a real signature. Thank You, Ed F. Regarding a post I think you made "Shozui", i think,... my point about the low relief carved saya was that the carving was below the ji. Initially, i thought it was above thereby me question. On a 2nd look i could see i viewed it incorrectly (darn photos). Great looking piece though! As to your comments about it, I think he may have had a study image that he took it from and didn't deviate from it. Just a thought. Ed F

Hi John, If you have no objections I was wondering what method of cleaning you employed? Secondly, and pardon my ignorance, are the small pits in the iron "bones"?, I'm a newbie. I like it! nice detail on the net rope! Respectfully, Ed F.