Chicago Sword Show April 28-30, 2023

[DTM72]

Suishinshi Masahide

 

[DTM72]

I hate posting pics of myself but @mdiddy @ericowazamono Roger Robertshaw (Hizento.com) Jason Yoon (Evolution Blades).

[paulatim]

On 4/26/2023 at 11:35 PM, DTM72 said:

I got you @Matsunoki. I will be arriving tomorrow at 1:30. I'll snap pics from Thursday to Sunday and post here. 

Thank you very much for posting those excellent photos Dan.  I’ll never experience something like this here, way down South.

Regards,

Paul

[PNSSHOGUN]

Look forward to more photos, thank you for letting us live vicariously through you!

[Matsunoki]

Wow! 👍👍👍

[Soshin]

I made it back home from the show and need to unpack on Sunday before the work week. It was a great show. I sold two items and purchased two new items. The universe is in balance.  

[Stephen]

19 hours ago, DTM72 said:

@mdiddy and Eric Moliner 

I was going "what in the world do they have standing on top the glass case"

Then I expanded and I'm going oh my God you're so old you have no eyes!!!

I'll shut up now 😭 

 

Edit to add thank you for all your photos.

Edited April 30, 2023 by Stephen
Add thanks

[DTM72]

So I did a thing today…

 

Always wanted a tachi and @mdiddy worked a great deal for me and himself.

 

Took it immediately to shinsa and papered to Meio era 1492-1501 Moritaka (7th Generation) MOR897

Was a good show for me!

[DTM72]

[Michaelr]

Congratulations Dan and thank you again for all the pictures.

  MikeR

[waljamada]

Really enjoyed the show!  Lots of vendors, lots of wonderful things to see and met some great people.  Had a shinsa buddy that I met going up to the room and then went to get our results together.  (He had 4 passes and I had 1 out of my 2 blades pass)  Made a friend of mine go with me to show him the nihonto ropes and saw familiar vendor faces.  Always fun to see which guys bring what and getting a sense of their "eye" for blades.  Didn't end up buying anything this year but loved just being there.

[DTM72]

Biggest thanks to Mark Jones for making this show happen. The amount of work that goes into an event like this is staggering. Mark’s wife, son, daughter in law, and others, all chipped in the help out. As dealers arrived at their tables for the first time, there was a gift bag with water bottles, snacks, a pen, notepad, tissue, and other helpful things. Mark and family took their time and energy to put these bags together, in advance. Coffee, tea and bagels were available every morning. Dealer party on Friday night with pizza 🍕 and beer 🍺and wine 🍷  was also arranged and manned by Mark and family. 
 

To Mark Jones, 

Thank you and your family for everything. I have absolutely zero complaints about the event. Your experience with events is obvious and makes this a world class event. In the words of Douglas McArther “I shall return “

 

Dan Crawford 

[O koumori]

Hats off to Mark and his family for a fine show!

You went the extra mile to make it runs smoothly, and to make the vendors comfortable and the guests welcome.

 

A great big Thank You from me and the entire Indiana Token Kai family!

 

Dan K

[DTM72]

48 minutes ago, O koumori said:

Hats off to Mark and his family for a fine show!

You went the extra mile to make it runs smoothly, and to make the vendors comfortable and the guests welcome.

 

A great big Thank You from me and the entire Indiana Token Kai family!

 

Dan K

Nice meeting you Dan, and the other ITK members. Y’all have a good thing going and are all genuinely good fellas.

 

Dan C.

[O koumori]

Dan,

Thank you for your kind words.

We enjoyed meeting you, and everyone that stopped by our tables as well.

Mark certainly knows how to put on a great show to bring everybody together for mutual benefit!

Dan K

[Jussi Ekholm]

Thanks for the show reports guys, seemed like a great event

[Matsunoki]

Many many thanks for all the reports and pics. “Wish I was there” springs to mind. 
all the best. Colin

[DTM72]

On 4/10/2023 at 8:09 PM, PNSSHOGUN said:

Hi Dan, always on the lookout for original Type 94 or swords with early style mounts.

I did not see a single Type 94 there. There were a few type 98's, 1 type 95 behind a table, not for sale, and a few type 3's. 

[The Blacksmith]

Boy, oh boy, how I wish I lived on your side of the pond! 

Beautiful set up, and some lovely items on show. The amount of beautiful items there just leaves me breathless. Thank you so much for posting the pictures!

[Alaen]

Thank you for the show mark I enjoy the show buy some part from you I make new friends see many beautiful unique examples, hard to find something that I loved in my budget but a the very end early Sunday I go a nice tadayoshi example I almost lost my flight god delay the flight for me 🙏 in the same table I buy my sword was a type 94 Dan 

[DTM72]

1 hour ago, Alaen said:

 at the very end early Sunday I go a nice tadayoshi example I almost lost my flight god delay the flight for me 🙏 in the same table I buy my sword was a type 94 Dan 

 

I didn't think it was a 94 as I did not see the 2nd ashi (hanger). If it is a 94, more rarity for you!

[PNSSHOGUN]

You can see the two hangers in that picture. I believe this was for sale a couple of years ago and was a nice all original example. 

[Mark]

Now i am back and getting settled i can add a bit. The show went very well, more than 20 tables more than we have ever had. People seemed to enjoy the large open room.  I heard a lot of positive comments about sales, one dealer said he sold a lot and to people he did not know, that was a change from the usual dealer to dealer sales.

 

Grey Doffin did a very educational presentation on "Care and handling of Japanese swords". With the large number of newer or first time attendees it was very helpful for all who attended.

 

Matt Jarrell (member here) oversaw a presentation and hands on examination of some SUPER swords. He discussed "Masahide and his school, especially highlighting horimono". He had a Great Tsuda Sukehiro katana with horimono so show what Masahide was emulating at his start, multiple Masahide swords showing Sukehiro Doranba, Shinaki, then examples of his and students as they changed to Bizen den.  There was an opportunity to learn but also handle some swords (all with wonderful horimono, some by Yoshitane) you usually only see in books or behind glass. some pictures below. Thanks  Matt! And thanks to Markus Sesko for assisting.

[Mark]

although we usually don't have 7 years olds handling Tokubetsu Hozon blades the promoters grandson got a special look, thanks Matt

[Japan2112]

Great show, Mark! Thanks for many years of Nihonto fun!

Nark C

[Stephen]

On 5/8/2023 at 7:55 AM, Mark said:

although we usually don't have 7 years olds handling Tokubetsu Hozon blades the promoters grandson got a special look, thanks Matt

Looks like he's got a trained eye already, good on you brother.

 

[Kaigunto230]

Looks like a wonderful show. I wasn’t able to make it this year, but maybe next! I also introduced someone next door in Ohio to the forum and the show and hope he’ll get more excited throughout the year and attend next time. For the moment, I just love vicariously enjoying everyone’s new purchases.