Glossary: Japanese Sword terminology

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  Rest in Peace!!!
David E. J. Pepin 5/28/1946 - 09/16/2013
You will be greatly missed by many!!!
Obituary

Article: The Japanese Sword: Weapon and Work of Art
by David E. J. Pepin, 1977

The Japanese sword, more commonly know as the Samurai sword, was a superb weapon. Its unique edge-tempering (compared to the full-blade tempering of the famous Toledo and Damascus swords of Europe) allowed a degree of hardness and razor-sharpness impossible to attain in European swords without danger of brittleness and breakage. The fear and respect which the Japanese warrior and his sword inspired among Oriental foes is recorded in many contemporary accounts. But beyond its quality as a weapon, the Japanese sword is important as one of history's finest expressions of the metal worker's art. Click to read more...

items wanted: Intricate carvings of wood, jade, ivory, or just about anything else. ~~~ Old Nautical ship clocks, Complicated movements, especially fine solid gold pocket watches, repeaters and wrist watches [such as Breitling, Cartier, Patek, & Rolex; old and new alike]. ~~~  Swords, knives, daggers, German items etc. Special paintings. Nice furniture.  ~~~ Antique firearms, US, European, Japanese (such as fine nambu pistols), especially - Colt's, Winchester's. Guns with Enamels and inlays.

US and European swords in Very good condition or presentation, including Bowie knives. ~~~ Any unique items that we have never seen before. Jewels, Chinese pottery, Tiffany lamps. Rare glass. Old Coins or paper currency. Very early Greek and Roman marble.

ART- European, UK, US, Oriental. Paintings, Japanese Wood Block prints, Art glass (Galle & Daum, etc.), Porcelain, Bronze & Marble sculpture, Oriental rugs. ~~~ Scientific Instruments (Clocks, Microscopes, Ship compass, etc.) Rare precious Gems, Baseball memorabilia (I.E. : Presentation items).

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A mu-mei (unsigned) katana w/ koshirae, Attributed to Sawahara Shigetane, Late Edo period, Student of Naotane, Saya-gaki by "Kanzan" (Dr. Sato) with NBTHK Hozon certificate

5k or less page

Mu-mei Shinto wakizashi

A 72 cm ~ 28" Mino school katana with koshirae

Coming soon: If interested inquire

Minatogawa shrine blade by Masanao, Choji-Gunome hamon, tachi mei, w/ NTHK certificate, original Navy mounts. 

In for polish & or shinsa now

Yasusada 3 body gold inlay cutting test

Tegarayama Masashige Jo-jo saku Shin-Shinto

A Katana by Kunitomo C- 1596 AD with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate, TANZAN saya-gaki, with Battle damage

NIPPON BIJUTSU TOKEN HOZON KYOKAI (N.B.T.H.K.) Life Member
The Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art
The Japanese Sword Museum Tokyo, Japan
Free N.B.T.H.K. application form
Member of the JSSUS / Japanese Sword Society of the United States