Hawley

Very nice package, Ray.

Sorry ...... but this is just the opinion of Mr. Prill! If someone not agree with him, well .....ok no problem at all. There are no official Experts of the NBTHK here in Germany. He just write that he is a member of the NBTHK and nothing else. I don't see any reason for the NBTHK to take action against this. Just my two cent.

A very fine Gentlemann has leave us. Indeed .....sad news. R.I.P.

PM send for the Shinto Katana "Muneshige"

Very sad News. R.I.P.

Guido, you hit the nail.

No problem. Next time also in English and everyone can fully understand.

A little correction : First Blade was from Shimosaka School, not strait from Yasutsugu . Of course Yasutsugu came from the Shimosaka School but the blade itself has only a paper with a attribution to Shimosaka. The next time i will repeat my explanation also in english.

@ Ben van Koningsveld PM send.

Is it allowed to ask which Museum ask you for help ?

PM send Hawley

on place two of my favorite.....this one. NBTHK tokubetsu hozon signed, Tadashige saku ( and a declaration of age 72 ) sorry, for the picture quality.....it is not easy to make good pictures. Hawley

Sorry for my late reaction....... In my personal opinion it is a akasaka-tsuba. Personal opinion, because this tsuba was not sent to a shinsa until know. Some friends of mine agree with my opion that this could be made by the third or maybe the fourth master. In the first book of Sasano (early Japanese sword guards, sukashi tsuba),on page 210 you will find an akasaka-tsuba which looks very similar to mine. In the book it is a signed work from the fourth hereditary master tadatoki. See picture 1. Dimensions of mine: Height 86,24mm, width 83,14mm, rim thickness 6,33mm, rim seppa-dai thickness 5,70 Close distance picture from the rim show a fine laminated iron. See picture 2. Hawley

One of mine .........hard to say if this was my favorite, but in the moment ...Yes :D Hawley