Book Recommendation

[Frank B]

Hello, any tips for the best reference books on Mino tosogu? Ideally, one that spans from Ko-Mino through to "edo" Mino. 

 

Thank you 

[Rivkin]

On ko mino there is a good catalogue 美濃鐔随感 (2006) and it has later Mino as well. Items from there are mostly in private hands so you can buy them in Japan now and then.

 

Kirill Rivkin

[Pete Klein]

From Grey's site:

 

The early book focus on older pieces:

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b1033-kinko-mino-bori-kokubo-kenichi

 

The best comprehensive book for tosogu:

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b971-tokubetsu-ten-kinko-mino-bori

 

Tsuba only:

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b1022-mino-tsuba-zuikan

[Frank B]

Thank you Pete and Rivkin, I'll check them out.

[Frank B]

I've got some studying to do with this one.

[Rivkin]

I think the first book will not be helpful since its mostly Tsuba. But even second and third will not cover this particular subject that well. Not really an expert, but I suspect this might not be Mino (too flat? hard to tell from a single picture) so a general work on kozuka+ can be a better guide. ko Mino texts tend to be more about their "floral" and "arabesque" motifs in my experience.

 

Kirill Rivkin

[Surfson]

How do you know it is Mino?  It looks quite nice and I like the wear on the raised surfaces of the dragon.

[Frank B]

I do not know that it is Mino, ultimately that is up to the NBTHK. I agree though, the wear on the high points shows good age.  

[Vermithrax16]

NICE acquisition Frank!

[TETSUGENDO]

Frank,

 

Great kozuka, all claws and prickles...full of energy!

 

-S-

[Vermithrax16]

Just an added word;

 

Having extensive reference material on hand is crucial to this study. As is the NMB and the stored info here. 

[Frank B]

Yes, I plan to buy a few books that Rivkin and Pete mentioned.

[Rivkin]

I am not with my library at the moment, but I own all three books - they are not that great on dragons.  金工美濃彫 and 美濃鐔随感 have couple of examples and that's it. The third one I remember less by heart, but I doubt it had more than couple of images. Sorry can't be more useful.

 

Kirill R.

[Frank B]

Thank you for the information, I'll still check them out to see any similar examples to study.