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Hello Chris: Great question actually and one that could be approached many ways though Grey gives you a pointer to Sasano and from that you can noodle out some ideas, but they won't directly address the question. Iron tsuba are not necessarily the oldest tsuba once you get beyond the Kofun era, but they do represent the tsuba worn on the blades of the lowest socio-economic group of samurai and samurai aspirants who were the least sophisticated, least shielded by layers of subordinates and most likely to die doing their duty without fanfare or lingering recognition. Their simple ideas of religious belief and symbolic identification were often incorporated into the tsuba they used, and the use of those pieces had to be equally sturdy for the functions required, namely keeping the hand from slipping forward and balance in the dynamic use of the sword. People of higher social position could have tsuba full of intended artistic sophistication, but the folk art nature of early tsuba, styles of which were carried on right through late Edo times, are not to be found in shakudo and gold, at least not in the same primal way. Therein for many lies the attraction of good old ko-tosho and ko-katchushi tsuba, as well as some of the more robust iron tsuba of the Edo era. Iron bones, complex designs, "workmanship spectaculars," precious metal, are all beside the point. Arnold F.

Hello: You did a terrific job in finding a dealer who combines integrity, knowledge and plenty of contextual background for what he sells and the choice you made will not lead to the "buyer's regret" syndrome anytime soon as is too often the case when first putting your toe into the Japanese sword collecting pool. While you may have found some non-Japanese made swords of interest and perhaps attractive as swords, remember no swords made in Japan since WWII, or anywhere else in the Nihonto mode, were made with the intent behind the traditional sword, namely to be used in deadly battle. The major attraction of the Japanese sword is derived from its intended use function and the historical associations that the "real deal" ones carry with them. It is fine and good that swords are still being made in traditional ways, and other countries than Japan should ponder the stupidity of allowing craft traditions to become manufacturing mysteries that can only be wondered about. However you will find a real pay off from extensive reading into the historical development of the sword in Japan and its role in the episodes of that country's history. That essence is only associated with swords like the one you bought and cannot be found in any other context. That is a sort of consumer surplus derived from owning one of those things and only the "real deal" offers it. By the way signing with a name is required on the NMB. Good hunting, Arnold F.

Hello: Thanks for your enthusiastic report Mike. I think you will find your treatment the expectation at all the shows I know of. Shows are absolutely vital to a healthy and prospering collecting community. San Francisco is coming up in August, Minneapolis in November, Tampa in early March and Chicago in April along with a shinsa there. If you can swing it there is a terrific show, the Dai Token Ichi, in Tokyo every fall. The necessary detailed information for all of them can be found on line, often here on the NMB. Good going too for Bob Elder. Arnold F.

Hello: Thank you Tom! Is there perhaps a catalogue that is available now or for future publication? Arnold F.

Hello: Well the comma-like device is surely a magatama, one of the Three Imperial Regalia of mythic times. The incorporation with what looks like an arrowhead is not clear; perhaps just two nice associations. Arnold F.

Hello: Nice sword, not unreasonable starting price, the Toyama Mitsuru connection is an interesting add on for those interested in the social and economic context of swords of that period, however because of increasing physical impairment those late swords are said to all be daisaku. Arnold F.

Hello: The camellia oil Stephen mentions above is a good product, and if use as it should be, applied lightly and then gone over with a flannel cloth wipe to minimize the coating thickness, you should have no problems. I can't put my finger on it at the moment but some years ago a study published in the papers of the British Token Society seemed to demonstrate that the chemical print out of the usual choji oil sold to collectors was essentially the same as transmission fluid. Whether that is a good or bad thing is beyond me. Be very cautious with drugstore oil of cloves as years ago I discovered to my regret that it has a high water content. How much it might be needed to be cut with something else is an empirical issue beyond my wish to find out. Arnold F.

Hello: Looking forward to another to another interesting and educational show! Arnold F.

Hello: I think it best to be very cautious not to read too much into a Japanese government emphasis on a shift in appreciation from a "weapon" to an "art" object from the time of the Haitorei, the excellent reference given by Peter and the other useful inputs by way of background notwithstanding. While the division between functional weapon and art object was to come, the movement of appreciation and recognition was hardly continuous and after WWII while at the initiative of the Japanese, it was not for aesthetic reasons as such. After the Haitorei the cutting quality of swords was never repressed as a consideration and some smiths of the day, particularly Hayama Enshin, to name one, were very well known as cutting practitioners, though not on human bodies of course. Remember also that highly functional swords were at a premium during the Sino and Russo-Japanese wars, to say nothing of WWII. I would certainly discount the collection frenzies of Dean, Baur and many other collectors in Europe and America as while those "curiosities" might have fascinated them, what would the loopback be on the Meiji government? The great thrust to see swords as art objects and to separate that impression from their functional nature, came immediately after the WWII and primarily when a few Japanese connoisseurs, perhaps led by Homma Junji, who were able to get the sympathetic and active participation of U.S. Col. Victor Cadwell a strategically placed Provost Marshall. Had his co-operation not been gained it is highly likely that almost all swords that hands could have been laid on by the Occupation would have been destroyed or given to returning GIs. The argument of course was to strongly emphasize the sword as an art object, part of Japanese history's patrimony so to speak, and all non traditionally made swords were beyond the pale. The hard line drawn, for example, explains why only in recent years have the outstanding traditionally made swords of the Yasukuni and Minatogawa Jinja, just to name some, been recognized by such groups as the NBTHK. Arnold F.

Hello: Wayne has it exactly. Arnold F.

Hi Stephen: Thanks for the interesting reference above. Arnold F.

Hello Darcy: Good job in data mining on the NBTHK papering ladder and inferences drawn for the data. It is certainly a good thing for collectors to know that there are quality grades, hence price differences, other things equal, within a paper designation, to say nothing of the potential for blades with apparently low rankings at any given time to subsequently be assigned a higher level. I presume that holds also for the designations of other rating groups. I have been curious about a couple of determinants that might have an impact of judgments made about a sword during NBTHK processing.. The first relates to the rank order paradigm effect of the now classic Fujishiro ratings that every student knows about and that must still pervade in the Japanese sword world. We all know that a smith who Fujishiro ranks Saijo saku is likely to paper higher and be worth more than say a Chu (n) Jo saku. Do you think that is a first approximation staring point, entirely disregarded, or for which there is some other rule of thumb standard? Second, and perhaps more importantly, how critical is the presence of a mei? It is sort of apples and oranges as, to take an extreme example, there are no signed Masamune of daito length, but for many other top smiths, both signed ubu examples and suriage mu mei will receive very high designations. There will also be a scattering of ubu mu mei which complicates any such comparison. Simply put, what is the weight of the presence of a mei judged to be genuine? As an extension from this issue we all have heard of very convincing and deceptive utsushi done of old famous name smiths by otherwise more or less unemployed early Meiji smiths. I suppose some went unmasked for a while and wonder what eventually tripped them up: did the jigane/jihada/yakiba finally give them away or was the mei ultimately seen as unconvincing? Anyone's views would be welcome. Arnold F.

Hello: I checked a shirasaya I have with those bands referred to above. The shirasaya is new to the blade done at time of manufacture in 1942 and one band has come off and there is no trace of it having been inlet into a recession. Perhaps some are, but all are not recessed. Arnold F.

Hello Joo: Welcome indeed and thanks for the interesting introduction. I assume you are referring to the Kanei Nobushige that Florian had been try to sell for far too long, as it was an excellent package in all respects from when first posted. I would have bought it at once if it was a wakizashi or tanto as a companion for a long daito with cutting test that I have of his dated 1865. I am sure you will be researching him but to help a little he is Hawley NOB 468, Fujishiro Shinto-hen, S211, and Toko Taikan, p.482. His strong point for the blades he made at the time when a movement to rearm was going on in anticipation of a major confrontation between the Shogunate and various marginally loyal Daimyo such as the Satsuma, Choshu, etc., seems to be blades of length and substance and having a suguba hamon. His exact affiliation is a little unclear. The sayagaki on mine, written by the late Yoshikawa Koen in 1996 states, in translation: "A smith of the Doi family of Koga in Soshu - standing here for Shimosa and Kazusa, which were once one kuni - he is well know for sharp, fighting blades ... Mine is 2.51 shaku, suguba and the cutting test is one of cutting through both hips. His teacher is not certain though Iimura sensei places him with Munehiro, that is Sokan, thus a member of the Kato group. According to Chris Bowen he forged swords at the Yushima Tenjin Shrine. He was invited by the Doi and according to Nihon-to, Issue No. 4, June, 1996 (British Token Society), p.49, his commission was to make 100 swords. Sokan and his student Hiroshige were also invited to produce for the Doi. I believe the Doi were a fudai Daimyo clan, thus loyal to the Shogunate, but I am not sure. I believe you will find that suguba, not necessarily to the exclusion of all other hamon, tend to be particularly well suited to being good cutters. See what you can find on your new find and let us know. Arnold F.

Hello: Congratulations !, without reference to the mei it appears to be a terrific kabuto. There are some quite authoritative armor collectors here who will doubtless chime in. Arnold F.

Hello Troy: I really appreciated your initial post and the careful way you are taking first steps. This swamp like most is undrained and watching your step is important but not always enough. Contacting Mark was a smart move and the follow up via Brian as well. Lots of well meaning an helpful information can be found here, and clearly another sword show is in order. While quite a way from where you live there will be a show in Orlando, Florida the 16th through 18th of June. Take a look at www.japaneseswordshow.com/orlando for more information. There will be lots of things to see and much to learn from. Good hunting, Arnold F.

Hello: The 22K Euro blade is usually transliterated as Sokan and he is a considerable shinshinto smith, known for his own rather striking but repetitive gonome hamon. Arnold F.

Hello: Oshigata paper has a fiberous quality that is different from tracing paper. I get it from Namikawa Heibei in Tokyo but only for nakago. They might have it in longer rolls as well. They are very accommodating, reasonable and efficient, and I believe they also carry things like ink stones which are essential. Arnold F.

Hello: Well intentioned advice in response to a question about oiling blades can obviously differ. I doubt we are going to have the time or resources to conduct an actual experiment under controlled conditions to settle this long standing issue. For those who use oil under any circumstances, and I do endorse it on newly polished blades for at least a year, it is obvious that the surface should be covered only to a minimum thickness. You will find that after oil is put on it will tend to be unnecessarily thick and the next step should be to wipe the blade with a correctly laundered piece of flannel cloth. That is a classic step and will minimize the film thickness and eliminate subsequent beading which promotes the running Darcy refers to. Arnold F.

Hello: While the term horimono tends to be used to refer to decorative carvings and kanji, the care of hi tends to also require care as both can harbor abrasive accumulated this and that. If uchiko is used, and perhaps even micro fiber cloths, great care must be used not to drag such material on to the blade surface or eventually the depth and density of the induced scratching will become obvious. Horimono and hi should be "cleared" before attempting to remove oil by any method from the blade's surfaces. A Q-tip is a good idea for horimono and hi should be done first, but not with a Q-tip unless quite narrow, and from their top terminus down the blade and not the other way around as the risk is always there to drag unwanted material into the kissaki area as is so often seen. Unless humidity risk is high I would advise using no oil a year or so after any polish, and if an old polish, not at all. Arnold F.

Hello: After two days of driving home from Chicago I see that many helpful postings about Mark's show precede mine, so just a few words. All shows are worthwhile as without shows that provide the opportunity to learn, buy, sell and generally keep up with what is going on, no collecting field can prosper. Mark Jones' show is right at the top of popularity and for good reason as all table holders benefit from Mark's thoughtful and helpful attitude and management, and that is complemented by a welcome space for visitors and provision of useful and educational program additions. This year Stuart Broms, a tsuba collector of many years with a very good eye for quality, provided a stunning display of the result of decades of his quest. Bobby Block, Fred Geyer and the redoubtable translator and scholar Markus Sesko gave an extremely interesting talk on the emergence of the Owari smiths of the Shinto era from an early nudge of Oda Nobunaga in an area with few smiths during Koto times, along with excellent examples for in hand study. Fred also had a stunning display of top Goto fitting on display in the show room. I tried to optimize my time between chit chat with old friends and looking for something interesting to take home. In the latter department was a banner, about 40 x 28", with the mon of Kusunoki Masashige, the so called Kikusui mon associated with the Minatogawa Jinja near Kobe, the site of the Navy forge and counterpart of the Yasukuni Jinja in Tokyo. That mon is the one used on Markus Sesko's logo. While it has other uses than just the symbol of the Jinja the dealer had pretty convincing information tying it to the Shrine. I was happy to see it this year as it went home with the dealer last year at three times this year's final price. That phenomenon is a reflection of the lowering of the price plateau of most things seen at shows, but of course it is an extreme example and not representative. However prices were softer and dealers usually had to "deal" to move things along. It was also my impression that the price differential between blades and tosogu has compressed year over year as more careful buying of the latter has had its market effects. I was also happy to bring home a neat little Gassan tanto. That group is easy to recognize if you avoid the Naminohira and Momogawa somewhat lookalikes trap, but its exact history is so fuzzy and thus an interesting area of research. Finally Bill Green the promotor of the Tampa show was there and mentioned a moved date for them into March in 2018. Bob Elder was in attendance with information about his Orlando show in mid-June. San Francisco is coming up soon. Arnold F. .

Hello: Great question. I agree with Jean that it might be a tomoe, but why so large as to structurally weaken the tsuba if it is an older and functional piece? I am tempted to say it is some artist's fancy expressed on the plate. If it is an older piece, then after its initial making; if a newer piece then that design from the start. I am not sure however that it is modern as why have that accommodation space on the right where a shakudo insert (now lost?) would have been put in to protect the back of a kogai? That adds nothing to the picture and is a negative distraction, but again it could be just a subtle way to make it look older. Beats me. Arnold F.

Hello: While it is hard to be too specific about the image, the many umegane I have seen tend to be very linear at the margins. Arnold F.

Hello: Thank you so much Allan for the reference to the Sesko essay. It is difficult enough to make real cost/income comparisons between decades; for hundreds of years, so much steeper! Arnold F.

Hi Paul: I hope I wasn't giving you any misdirection, but I recently acquired a Sukemune wakizashi with a couple of origami to the Kan'ei era and because it is fresh in my mind and I had spent a fair amount of time researching that rather convoluted line it seems to have much in common with your blade. It has strong and highly visible itame of various sizes, tighter in the monouchi, with masame approaching the mune and the habuchi with much (!) very visible chikei. At the base narrow ko-gonome with ashi and sunagashi, then taller gonome, then smaller again and less well defined. It is in nioi but there is nie too. The line is one of the longer continuous ones from koto times well into the Edo era, and style tended to change with fashion. At one time they started with a Bizen focus, then were looped into Sue Soshu style, and a little later than my man, who is Fujishiro S475 on the right, there is some connection with Tsuda Sukehiro. Just rambling one; nice thread pulling in such varied points of view. Arnold F.