A modest proposal

[Soshin]

After reading all of the posts. Just wanted to say that a subscription blog only about Tosogu connoisseurship would be great. Once I have the extra cash I will subscript via Paypal.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S. (Soshin)

[andreYes]

Dear Ford,

Very good idea!

I'd like to participate, please count me in too!

[Ford Hallam]

Just in case some of you missed my post earlier, I've posted a sample review for your consideration on my blog here

I'll do a couple more this week and we'll see what you feel about it.

 

regards,

 

ford

[andreYes]

Very interesting review! A lot of information to learn.

 

Looking forward to read more...

[b.hennick]

Hi Ford:

I enjoyed the report on the first tsuba. I was happy to see an iron piece. I appreciated the links that you added as well. I look forward to the next one. I see that the tsuba is on hold. Someone must have liked it once you pointed it out.

[estcrh]

Just in case some of you missed my post earlier, I've posted a sample review for your consideration on my blog here

I'll do a couple more this week and we'll see what you feel about it.

 

regards,

 

ford

Ford, would you consider doing a pay per inspection of someones possible purchase? I would be interested in a service like that...just a personal opinion of your thoughts on a perspective purchase...considering the money I have seen spent recently on questionable items it would be worth it to have a professional opinion of an item before buying it rather than finding out after it arrives.

[Ford Hallam]

I'd just like to say thanks to all of you who were so enthusiastic and who indicated their support for my proposal.

 

Sadly, I'm afraid I don't think it will be a real possibility because of too few numbers. If I commit to this for a year I need to know it stands a reasonable chance of growing to a point where it's worth my time from a financial point of view. This is what I do for a living, after all Based on the response so far, and I really am very grateful for that, I can't see this working out.

 

I've got a few reviews prepared already that I'll still post on my blog but they'll merely be a hint at what could have been.

 

thanks again all,

 

regards,

 

ford

[Curgan]

That is most unfortunate.... maybe soon the whole project will be feasible

 

...at least you won't stop posting at the forum your usual "teaser" threads, will you?

[mdiddy]

Bummer - I was looking forward to these.

 

Are there still any existing options to cover your financial expectation or boost membership? You could raise price 50% or so and it would still be < $10/month. Advertising on SFI, WAF, Int'l boards like INTK or French Nihonto Forum, or other forums where sword collectors trawl could find add'l membership. Getting dealers w/ websites to add a link could increase membership. Finally, how about selling your service through Ebay? You could get great exposure there. Just some thoughts as I was really looking forward to this!

[cspage]

I expect that Ford will chime in with apt observations on appropriate submissions to this forum if asked on a case by case basis, if he feels like it, business as usual. He's not sailing off into the sunset.

 

However, there could be a sub-topic started in this forum that elicits only aesthetic based critiques. I would be surprised if Ford is the only one here with an artistic background and expertise in design, and more than one point of view is always instructive, as many of the discussions here have proven. Someone comes across a tsuba that just knocks them out in design, posts it for discussion (not allowed would be... "isn't this the most god-awful looking tsuba you ever saw?"). Just an idea.

 

Colin