Suggest a Book that will Impress my Wife?

[Randy]

I've been lurking here for a while, and this is my first post.

 

My apologies in advance if I have missed the answer to my question elsewhere--I'll gladly follow a link if you have one.

 

I've seen a lot of recommendations for reading material, but I wondered if you guys could suggest a book list that would impress my wife...

 

I'm looking to get a few books to start reading up on nihonto blades and fittings, and while I want good information, I also want really good, beautiful pictures. I think I need at least one "coffee table" -type book with big glossy photos that will help my wife understand what I see in these cold, steel instruments of dismemberment. It's not just that I want her blessing to spend money on swords. I want her to share at least some of my enthusiasm, and appreciation for them. ...and I want her to approve of my spending money, too, of course!

 

I don't want to just go looking for a book with pretty pictures because I know how worthless some (most) coffee table books are for those seeking actual enlightenment on the topic! Books I could obtain through Amazon would be ideal

 

How would advise me?

 

Thanks in advance! -Randy D.

[Pete Klein]

One Hundred Masterpieces from the Collection of Dr. Walter A. Compton. Japanese Swords, Sword-Fittings and Accouterments. Essays by William Tilley and Walter Compton II. Catalogue by Robert Haynes and D. Martin Lorber (ISBN : 1880907003 / 1-880907-00-3)

 

This book has pretty much everything, all in large format pictures, color where needed (fittings). It can be found for under $100. Thy http://www.abebooks.com, amazon, etc.

[b.hennick]

You might try the book that accompanied the exhibit at the Met last year. It is called Art of the Samurai It is probably still on Amazon. Hard cover and paperback as well if I remember. I went for the hard cover (two actually).

[bluboxer]

Hi Randy, as Mr.Hennick stated

take a look at this exhibition catalogue from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.It has a lot of eye candy that will impress.Also covers silks,art,lacquer ware and accoutrements that expand on the sword in Japanese history.The kabuto are breathtaking.

 

 

 

http://store.metmuseum.org/met-publicat ... catalogue/

[Curran]

Owning both books suggested so far,

I would vote for the 100 Masterpieces of the Compton Collection.

[Brian]

I have my doubts that 100 masterpieces will do anything for a wife...and it certainly isn't coffee table. Great for students, but if you really want what you have described, then the book "Lethal Elegance" is usually what blows the mind of people who know little about Nihonto. That would easily be my first choice as a "coffee table" book. The info isn't as comprehensive as some others mentioned here, but still worth a good read. Wives are usually more easily convinced when the fittings aspect of collecting Nihonto is shown. The blades come later for them (imho)

 

Brian

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning all,

 

Clive Sinclaire's recent book will do the job admirably in my opinion.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Samurai-Swords-Cl ... 411&sr=8-1

 

However, the current Cartier catalogue will probably stand you in better favour.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Randy]

I went ahead and ordered all four books mentioned here. 100 Masterpieces was $60 used on Amazon and the other three totaled $75 new, so I figured I couldn't lose.

 

I haven't received Sinclaire, yet, but the others are very nice.

 

100 Masterpieces is viable as a coffee table book in our academic household, but it is not as "accessible" as the others, maybe. I'm very impressed with the Compton collection. Do you guys know if his pieces are displayed anywhere? I'm not very far from Elkhart at all...

 

I didn't catch that Lethal Elegance was fittings only (my primary interest is blades), but it is very nice. It has, actually, depressed me a bit. I had thought that I could probably look hard and find a couple of $200-ish tsuba and not too expensive fuchi/kashira that would be representative for me and make me happy--but now I'm realizing that I will never be happy with pieces I can afford...

 

Art of the Samurai is superb. It has gorgeous photos and would interest anyone, I think.

 

Thanks for the good advice, guys. I think my wife will accept that these objects or art are worth spending some money on if I go to the Chicago sword show...but I think she will not be as impressed by anything I'm actually likely to bring home as a beginner!

[Randy]

If I can impose on you with a follow-up question, what pure reference book should be my first purchase to go along with these "pretty" volumes?

[hybridfiat]

I dont know if the thread has helped you Randy but I just bought Clive's book on Malcolm's recomendation as well as "The Cutting Edge" By Victor Harris. :D

[Guido]

I'm very impressed with the Compton collection. Do you guys know if his pieces are displayed anywhere? I'm not very far from Elkhart at all...

No such luck. Dr. Compton passed away on October 11, 1990. His family sold his collection through Christie's in 1992.

I had thought that I could probably look hard and find a couple of $200-ish tsuba and not too expensive fuchi/kashira that would be representative for me and make me happy--but now I'm realizing that I will never be happy with pieces I can afford...

It depends on *how* you collect. One (or two) Tsuba a year might ensure quality over quantity - that's how I do it.

It's nice to see for a change that a "newbie" reaches the conclusion that $200-ish Tsuba don't bring you anywhere after a couple of days. Some on NMB still collect in that bracket after many years, hoping to find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ...

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Randy,

Which pure reference should you buy? If by reference you mean a book in English that will be a good learning experience, I think that is covered in the FAQ here on NMB.

If you're looking for English with lots of information plus oshigata for checking authenticity of signatures and work, the best is, in my opinion, the 59 volumes of "Token Bijutsu" English version by the NBTHK (difficult to find and pricey). 2nd best in this category would be the 6 volumes of Nihonto Koza translated into English by Harry Watson (3 volumes still in print; the rest hard to find).

If you're looking for oshigata and Japanese text doesn't present a problem, Fujishiro's 2 volume set is great (and a translation to English is available).

Grey

[rkg]

Randy,

 

I seem to be late to this, but here's some observations that are probably worth what you're paying for them :-)

 

First, while a picture may be worth 1000 words, often a piece in hand is worth 1000 pictures. If you REALLY want the better half to get these, and depending on your situation, you might

consider just taking her to one of the shows and letting her see the pieces in hand (remember the magnifying glass/flashlight, as often the showrooms aren't very well lit for viewing).

 

Next, I've found time and again that pieces printed large often seem to get the uninitiated really interested - And, fwiw, this is also how you evaluate a piece in hand - pretty much

everybody when studying a piece seriously eventually pulls out the magnifying glass, ends up holding the piece up close to their face, etc. you might see if you can find some of

those old exhibition posters that show kodogu printed large...

 

And finally, note that a lot of these books are shot in a hurry, often by people who don't really "get" kodogu, so often the images don't really show pieces in their best light (pun intended).

 

All that said, the compton 100 pieces book would make a good coffee table book, the Met's recent book isn't bad (and is kind of bargain at the price you can get it for on Amazon these days),

and if you want to spend more money and like the content you might look at the big goto book, or even Sasano's big silver book (if the wife does sculpture or is is into b/w images).

Another option might be that Uchigatana Koshirae book printed by the Tokyo National museum a few years back (I really like how they take a koshirae apart and image all the pieces).

If you just want some picture books for not much money, you might look at some of the softcover stuff coming out of Japan - museum exhibition catalogs, last year's

DTI catalog, etc.

 

As far as sword books go, if you're a beginner, I'd actually highly recommend picking up Paul Martin's translation of Nakahara's book (Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords)

sooner than later. there are a great many books that go into dizzying detail about smith/school genealogy, the minutae of how they signed their pieces, school characteristics and features and how they changed by week,

yadda yadda, but very few address what actually makes a good piece (especially in English), and.. Beyond that, all the "usual suspects" are good (Harry's translations of the Nihonto Koza,

Nagayama's book, etc).

 

On collecting fittings, its a dark path :-) the only plus is that right now the world seems to be awash in reasonable "beginner" fittings for not all that much money - I can't believe

how many "Jeez, that's cheap -I would have instantly bought that a few years ago" pieces I see available these days... That's the downside of getting to study the "good stuff" - after

that its all you want to acquire... :-/ +1 on having a few good pieces rather than a safe full of mediocre ones though - that was probably the best advice I ever got on collecting...

 

Good Luck,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

[Clive Sinclaire]

Gentlemen

Whilst I am encouraged and flattered that my own unworthy offering is being so well spoken of, I am surprised that The Conniseur's Book of Japanese Swords has not so far been mentioned.

Regards

CliveSinclaire

[cabowen]

While a must have for any serious collector I doubt it has enough eye candy Clive to interest anyone other than a collector....

[Stephen]

Id make a week end of it and come to the twin cities show, that way youll get some hands on blades, books dont hold a candle to that.....i may be back on Chris...ill contact Larry soon, think he was holding a table for me.

[rkg]

Clive,

 

Actually I did reference it, just not by title :-)

 

rkg

 

 

Gentlemen

Whilst I am encouraged and flattered that my own unworthy offering is being so well spoken of, I am surprised that The Conniseur's Book of Japanese Swords has not so far been mentioned.

Regards

CliveSinclaire

[Randy]

You guys are very helpful. Thanks!

 

I'm afraid I'm booked the weekend of the Twin Cities show. I'd love to come, though!

 

-Randy

[Grey Doffin]

Randy,

Do us all a big favor and let us know if any sword book convinces your wife that collecting these things makes sense. Some of us have wives also, and need all the help we can get.

Grey