YARI ...relative values

[deskjet]

hi ,

i find myself increasingly drawn towards collecting yari ,they seem somewhat less collected than swords ,but as they were probably the formost weapon uesd in many battles ,there is not an awful lot of infomation about them and the smiths that made them .As to relative values with swords ,they often seem to be a lot less expensive ,excluding jumonji yari ,which seem scarce and understandably more expensive .Any books or sites concerning yari use or manufacture would be appeciated

 

 

thanks

Anthony

[Jean]

Knutsen book on Japanese pole arms

[DirkO]

I've got one from Hawleys about polearm terms - which is pretty basic. But I also have another one : Japanese Spears: Polearms and Their Use in Old Japan from Roald and Patricia Knutsen and that one is quite good and elaborate on yari and other polearms (nagamaki, naginata,...)

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Spears-Polearms-Their-Japan/dp/1901903567

 

I know he also had an earlier book - Japanese Polearms - 1963, but I found it too expensive at the time, although I remember it being the better book of the two.

 

Maybe Mike at http://www.satcho.com still has a copy, you can always try, he's good at hunting down books :-)

[DirkO]

hmmm beaten by Jean :-) ah well, there are worse things than that

[deskjet]

Thanks Dirk and Jean , i will try and obtain one of those books

 

Anthony

[Brian]

Yep, Knutsen has the 2 books on polearms. The latter one is supposed to be an update, but there is some different info in each, so best to have both. Otherwise get the new one, it is the best of the 2.

I have both, and there isn't much more info available in English anywhere. No doubt there are good books in Japanese though.

 

Brian

[DirkO]

Really ? I always thought the old one was more elaborate ?

Or is it just that I expect it to be better because it costs more ?

[Jean]

Or is it just that I expect it to be better because it costs more ?

 

Tu quoque, mi fili

[DirkO]

:D ah quoting Cesar in Latin on a Wednesday morning :D

[DirkO]

btw : here's a combined review on both books :

http://www.yachigusaryu.com/blog/2006/03/book-review-Japanese-spears-and.html

[deskjet]

:D Thanks for the link Dirk,thats made my mind up which one to get ...although money allowing it would be nice to have them both

Anthony

[Henry Stewart]

Hi Anthony

 

If you are interested I have a copy of Roald Knutsens book on polearms for sale. But regret rather expensive.Good conditiion,

 

Henry

[deskjet]

Hi Henry,

 

Thank you for the offer but i have just purchased a copy of the newer edition ,many thanks

Anthony

[Bugyotsuji]

Do either or both of these books go into the historical changes in yari design by age?

[DirkO]

Yes Piers, extensively. The book I have (the newer one) depicts the evolution of the Japanese polearm detailed, with a lot of explanatory drawings.

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes Piers, extensively. The book I have (the newer one) depicts the evolution of the Japanese polearm detailed, with a lot of explanatory drawings.

 

 

Hmmm... thanks for that! Now...