A Look Back 10 years at the 1999 Minneapolis Sword Show

[nagamaki - Franco]

Greetings All,

 

The other evening I had the occasion of finally getting around to reorganizing a desk drawer filled with computer items. Well, to make a long story short sitting at the very bottom of the drawer was an old photo Cd which was recognized almost immediately as being from the 1999 Minneapolis Sword show that Chris Bowen and Larry Klahn had so graciously hosted. For myself, this show was an eye opening experience in many ways for the reason that Chris and Larry had brought over nihonto artisans from Japan to perform various tasks for a first hand opportunity to watch these craftsman at work. Seeing with your own eyes a nakago being finished (filed, drilled) and signed, or hori-bonji being chiseled out, or a shirasaya being carved out, begins to change the way in how you look and think about these various aspects of a sword, your appreciation grows.

 

The following posts include a number of images I would like to share from the show. Yes, 10 years have passed, better late then never .........

 

(Apologies in advance for misspelling or miss-identifications of individuals). Chris, Larry, feel free to chime in, thank you.

 

Tosho Enomoto Sadahito chiseling his mei.

 

 

 

 

In the foreground Sayashi Sugiura Masayoshi reaching for a tool, while Tosho Enomoto Sadahito files a nakago in the background.

 

 

Tosho Oguri Motoshige begins cutting bonji on a tanto he made (if I recall correctly).

 

 

cont.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Sayashi Sugiura Masayoshi carving out a tsuka.

 

 

A tanto sits awaiting further attention. BTW, those pitch cakes to hold items in place, all I can say is cool . 'Vices? We don't have no vices. We don't need no stink'in vices!'

[Ted Tenold]

Thanks for posting those Franco! I recognize a few folks in them. The first image is very interesting to me. The person kneeling nearby in the hawaiian shirt and beige vest is Mike Christianson. He purchased two of the blades from Sadahito. Both were made at a forging seminar (I think Bill Fiorini hosted) at which Sadahito-san was the guest teacher while here. The tanto they're signing is a little shobu zukuri piece that I eventually ended up polishing for Mike. It was signed by Sadahito as having been made by him while in America. It was a lovely little sword that had a very gentle flowing hada and yakiba on one side, while the other was a violent midare. Because of the contrast from side to side, I nicknamed it "fire and ice". The name kinda stuck, and some time later I saw it in an auction catalog (Chait's if I remember correctly) and to my surprise and amusement, it was described as the "fire and ice" tanto. Ever wonder how these blades get their names? :lol:

[Brian]

Wow..thanks for that Franco! Much appreciated, and I bet it brings back memories for many. I only wish we could experience shows like that here, but with Roger Robertshaw visiting SA nowdays, things are looking good here too.

Oneday I should start a thread where we can label pics of members who are willing, so we know who is who.

 

Brian

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

Ted, 'fire and ice' sounds most appropriate, thanks for the story.

 

Brian, there is certainly something to be said for the idea of 'if you can't bring the student to Japan, bring Japan to the student', and I think that is what Chris and Larry tried to do here with this show. Educational programs are a key to successful sword shows.

 

Of all the new thoughts I walked away with from this show, the one that stood out the most from seeing these artisans in action was the idea that there is no room for mediocrity. Yet, at the same time it was a pleasure to watch how calm and relaxed all the artisans were as they went about their tasks.

[Stephen]

Thanks Franco

 

small world having met you and not knowing, see a few faces and maybe my legs....think thats Howard Clark sitting off to the left in the large shot with folks sitting down watching....nice to think back to those days. Hai domo!