Eh, perhaps I do misunderstand. Happens all the time. :)

But, to be fair, aside from boors who get contrary just to be contrary, how are people supposed to know what you tell them for a fact without outside verification of some kind? Questioning your sources is a good thing, especially online. :)


PS. Just to clarify, that's generic[ you, not just you specifically.

Looking at our books section, I see that the Japanese swords section doesn't deal with modern military swords (i.e., post-Edo).

The classic book is Fuller & Gregory, Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks, which tends to sell at an Armi Bianche Italiane kind of price. (I've not read this, but everybody says it's a great book.) There is a baby version of this, Military Swords of Japan 1868-1945, which is much more affordable, and easier to find. Also smaller. Another nice book is Dawson, Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868-1945, which is easy to find new on ebay.

Seeing as some people will readily pay more than the cheaper Fuller & Gregory and Dawson on ebay for swords that are obviously fakes, the value of investing in a little education is clear.

Mikko, yes sometimes I am also guilty of it.

Quote:

Questioning your sources is a good thing, especially online.

Yes I agree 100%! I try and back up my sugghestions with at least two references from different sources.

And as for the boors yes I have read some very disturbing posts on the forums, forums are a very odd phenomenon. They can be an arena for the ego. A certain type of person that needs to dominate through intimidation. And the "forum" is a perfect place to do it, anonymity. It is like when I lived in Japan, you can see gaijin (foreigners) who would go there to reinvent themselfs, there is no one to call them on it. Ha, we used to call them Kyoto Gaijin! The ones who pretend they are samuai! Even the Japanese laugh!!!!

Which brings the discussion back to the reproduction tourist market chinese wanabe katana. I have seen many of these and the ageing is very good. A collector friend of mine who should know better was taken by a set of fittings (in Hong Kong). He thought these were orriginal but when you look at them close, you can see they are cast and well aged to look old!
Only by scratching the weld lines of patina can you see there is no solder just solid base metal showing.
They have moulded original pieces so that all the weld lines are there in the castings and a quick trip to the manure pile and there it is!

Technology! The fakes only get better so we have to get even better!

Here are some good sites to look through.

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/nihonto.htm


http://japaneseswords.gotdns.com/booklist.htm


http://www.artswords.com/Swords_of_Imperial_J...Dawson.htm