outlier48

Thanks to a new found friend I am able to post a couple of higher def pics. Hopefully someone will be able to comment further after seeing them. They show much better detail than the first pics I posted. Thanks in advance for any input. I hope you find them of interest. Charlie

Hi Brian - PM is working perfectly for me. I have received a "heads up" email notice for each PM I have received. Just thought you would like to know. Charlie

Ted and Barry - Thanks! See you there Charlie

As a newbie I just want to confirm the show is open to the public. I am planning a quick trip from Los Angeles just for this show and would be very disappointed if I could not get in. Nothing has been posted to the contrary so I guess I am safe in my assumption Charlie

Hi Sebastien - you may well be correct, but I will never know There is nothing left in my swordbag. I even searched the inside for any indication of the previous owner - having heard that sometimes such information was sewn into the bag lining - but found nothing. Now that I have "discovered" these various treasures they will form the beginning of my collection. While I am planning on focusing on tsuba and menuki, I will keep this tsuka in hopes of finding a compatible fuchi and, with any luck, a blade that fits it and my pocketbook and that piques my interest. I cannot help but wonder how many similar treasures currently lie hidden waiting to be be discovered! Charlie

Hi Markus - I, too, am a novice. I have received excellent advise from this board. Like you, I have a shirasaya that is in need of repair. Please follow the advice you have received. My wife is Japanese and she confirmed that only rice glue should be used but that this should only be done by an experience person. I wish you good luck as you continue to research the origin of your blade. Charlie

I turned 60 this year and while getting ready for a spring "yard sale" I came across a silk sword bag that my grandfather gave me about 15 years ago. He said it belonged to my dad who died in 1976. I never bothered to open it - just set it aside with some other "stuff" I inherited after my dad died. Imagine my surprise! As I have gone through what I now call "the gift that keeps on giving" I have become hooked. The items I inherited were probably (I hope) purchased in Japan shortly after WWII. They include a wak by Toshihide (TOS 22 I think) as well as several other fascinating items. I was fortunate to be directed to NMB where I have received invaluable input for the members. Unfortunately, no one esle in my family has any interest in nihonto at this time. My wife is from Japan so maybe a niece or nephew will want these various items (and others I collect in the future) after I'm gone. If not, I guess I will find a museum or organization - in the US or Japan - to donate them to in my will. I trust that day will not come for many years and that I will enjoy collecting nihinto and related items until then. Charlie

Ted - thanks for the detailed response - it makes sense to me - no need to rush to change things. Yes, tome look excellent in my very inexperienced opinion. And, after reading your post I took the time to really examine the ito and was amazed. I just assumed that this was typical of type and quality. Hope to make it to the SF show and find a fuchi that fits (physically and thematically)! Could use a seppa and silk bag as well! Maybe a katana for this tsuka? Charlie

Sebastien - thanks for the input. That is certainly a great option. I am so new to nihinto that I did not realize two color tsuka-ito was unusual Charlie

Thanks to all who helped with their input! As a complete novice I have begun to do a bit of research, starting with your ideas and translations. I have been focusing on the smith. Maybe this is too naïve, but I am wondering if the smith is Hawley's TOS 22. From what I have found, his signature matches the one on the nakago and he is the only Toshihide (that I could find) who had a two character signature. Of course, this would mean that Yoshinao carved the horimono and bonji at a later date (atobori). Does this make any sense, or am I just making a beginner's mistake? BTW, still trying to take half-way decent pics of this wak! I think I need a different camera - or photographer! Charlie

I thought this would be helpful but it has been a real struggle to get half way different pics. Hope these help. Charlie

Hi all - I am trying to decide what to do with these two uma menuki. The are mounted to a tsuka that I inherited (I think it was for a katana that I did not inherit ) The kashira depicts a different theme (two gnarled evergreen trees and two cranes) and the tsuka has no fuchi! Given that I have no blade for this tsuka, should I remove these uma menuki to keep as the first pieces in my collection, or, try to find a fuchi that ties into the theme of the kashira and keep this tsuka intact? I'm interested in all opinions and suggestions as to how to proceed. Thanks in advance, Charlie

Hi Rich - I had the same impression but I am no hurry to go poking around. It looks like the obvious plug is about to fall out! I will probably take the tsuka off this blade this weekend and carefully examine both the obvious plug and the one you noticed. BTW, are metal plate tsuka rare or unusual, or, are they fairly common? Was there a particular era or province where they were made? Thanks for the input! Charlie

Hi all - I'm interested in any input on this tsuka currently on my wak. Nearly all the other tsuka I have seen have same under the tsuka-ito and separate menuki as well. This tsuka appears to have a tooled metal wrap in place of the same with no added menuki - rather the figures are part of the wrap itself. I think there is a general theme of an ume branch running through with a fisherman on one side and a seated figure (Bhudda?) on the other. Is this unusual? Do you think it could possibly have been made for this blade which has a carved ume branch and flowers horimono? I also noted that there is only one meguki-ana in this tsuka - at least I have only found one. I don't think the "missing" hole is hidden by the tsuka-ito but it may be covered by the (metal?) wrap itself. Have anyone ever heard of this? Thanks in advance for your comments. Charlie

John L. - thanks for the translations. I'll undertake my search for books on tsuba via the internet, I guess. Franco - thanks for the response on matching the tsubo to the wak. All the help is greatly appreciated. Charlie

Hi John - Thanks so much for the input. It's still all new to me but I really appreciate your response. Can you please tell me what the writings refer to? As I said - I am a real "newbie". I assume they indicate the smith and the region but not a specific date. Also, Others have recommended several books on nihonto which I will soon purchase and devour. Do you have any recommendations for books on tsuba? Thanks in advance to all!

Hi Stephen - Don't know why but I already have John's book. I found it a bit hard to follow in parts. Perhaps the other texts will give me a rounded and strong foundation. Thanks.

Hi all - I just started posting on the nihonto section and now I have the great pleasure of finding this section. I am a complete newbie so I am hoping to get your expert input on this tsuba. I found it with other memorabilia I inherited. Any assistance with translations, era or period, area of origin, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Also, is it of appropriate size to use with my wak? It is 2 7/" wide x 3" tall. Thanks is advance for your kind assistance.

Jacques D. & Reinhard Thanks for the recommendations on the reference books. Probably (hopefully) all are available through Amazon.com I'll place my order today!

Hi Koichi - thanks for the translations of the sayagaki. Clearly I owe all of you who have helped me a great deal. I hope that I can help another newcomer someday in the same way.

Hi Reinhard - thanks for the input. All this is fascinating! In addition to John Yumoto's book, what other books would anyone care to recommend to a complete novice with a budding interest in Japanese swords? It seems like the deeper I dig the more there is to learn - each answer brings with it several new questions! I have tried to take pics of the blade and of its key aspects but with very poor results. When I do get something worth posting I will. Thanks again to all of you who have so gracious with your time and knowledge and so patient with a this "newbie".

Grey - thanks for the advice. Makes perfect sense. :D Charlie

Hi all - Attached are pics of the shirasaya. I again find I am in need of the assistance of the memberso of this board. I am wondering if the writing indicate it belongs with the wakizashi I inherited? Thanks in advance for your kind assitance. Regards, Charlie

Hi Ludolf and Koichi and everyone else who assisted in helping identfiy the smith and horiomono carver - thanks for all your input . Koichi, I think your guess on the kanji is probably correct. The kanji looks like 雕 to me. This definitely is literally "carving". Since I am so new to all of this I hope you don't find this next question silly. Is it possible that Yoshinao carved the horimono and that Tohsihide forged it? Also, I found Hawley's TOS 20 but was unable to locate the reference to YOS 1209 Where do you suggest I look for the best on-line reference of Hawley's listings? Lucky me - I just discovered a plain wooden scabbard (shirasaya?) with writing on both sides! Actually, I thought is was a child's toy and just set it aside. It seems to be made for the wakizashi I inherited. I'll post some photos soon. I noticed that the top of this shirasaya is split through vertically for about the first 6 inches. Any suggestions on repairing this? Thanks again for all the info. Charlie

Ludolf, Reinhard and Koichi, I very much appreciate your expert input. Since I can have my wife carefully examine the nakago, I can have her draw the kanji that Koichi represented with an "X". I will submit it as soon as I have it. Perhaps it will explain the connection between the two (apparent) swordsmiths. Thanks again, Charlie If you are going to climb a mountain, begin at the top