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Channel: Markus Sesko
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Tiger & Dragon Tadakuni

Quick post. Wanted to share something I came across a while ago whilst look up a blade in Satō Kanzan’s Shintō Oshigata. The book features a blade by Hizen Tadakuni (肥前忠国), which shows a hardening...

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eBook Summer Super Sale

Upon increased request recently, I am happy to do another 50% off eBook Super Sale. As usual, it works directly via me. I provide a list of all my eBooks below, showing the regular and the reduced...

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The Kabutowari-Kanesada (甲割り兼㝎)

The Kabutowari-Kanesada (甲割り兼㝎), lit. “Helmet Splitter Kanesada,” is a work of the famous late fifteenth and early sixteenth century Seki smith Izumi no Kami Kanesada (No-Sada) (和泉守兼㝎), by whom dated...

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Juyo Quantities – Ebb and Flow

I was looking at some quantities of objects passing in specific NBTHK Jūyō and Tokubetsu-Jūyō Shinsa and so I thought it might be interesting for the one and other to see the ebb and flow of numbers...

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HONMA’S APPRAISAL DIARY VOLUME 4

Well, we have arrived at Volume 4 of Honma’s Appraisal Diary. This volume, which covers the year 1975, introduces on ca. 380 pages 275 blades, meaning we have now arrived at a total of about 1,580...

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Ten years in writing about Japanese swords…

Earlier this year, I passed the milestone of writing ten years about Japanese swords and related subjects here on this site. In order to safe things for posterity, if ever something happens to me or...

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eBook Fall Super Sale

Entering fall season, I am happy to do another 50% off eBook Super Sale. As usual, it works directly via me. I provide a list of all my eBooks below, showing the regular and the reduced prices. I also...

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Forgotten Masters – Haruakira (治剣)

Sometimes you come across a wonderful work by an obscure maker who has either fallen through the cracks of historic swordsmith recording (such an unrecorded smith is referred to as meikan-more, 銘鑑漏れ),...

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Tosogu Classroom Volume 3

Dear Readers, After a too long gap, which is all on me and not on anyone else involved with this project, I am happy to announce that Volume 3 of the series is finished! Yes, this is not a drill; I...

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HONMA’S APPRAISAL DIARY VOLUME 5

Well, we have arrived at Volume 5 of Honma’s Appraisal Diary. This volume, which covers the year 1976, introduces on ca. 385 pages 285 blades, meaning we have now arrived at a total of about 1,970...

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HONMA’S APPRAISAL DIARY VOLUME 6

Whilst working on the last two volumes of the Tosogu Classroom to bring this project over the finish line by the end of this year, I would like to announce that we have arrived at Volume 6 of Honma’s...

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eBook End of Summer Sale

The end of summer is already approaching, so I am happy to do another 50% off eBook sale. This shall be the last one for 2024.  As usual, it works directly via me. I provide a list of all my eBooks...

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HONMA’S APPRAISAL DIARY VOLUME 7

I would like to announce that we have arrived at Volume 7 of Honma’s Appraisal Diary. This volume, which covers the year 1978, introduces on ca. 360 pages 257 blades, meaning we have now arrived at a...

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Kuwana-uchi and Blades Made with ‘Pure’ Fire

Looking for certain references regarding Taikei Naotane (大慶直胤, 1779–1857) for an upcoming article, I came across two unrelated blades with kind of interesting inscriptions, which I thought I may share...

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Fake Satō Kanzan Sayagaki

Whilst scanning some things, I found this interesting PSA in No. 42 of the NBTHK Tōken Bijutsu magazine (November, 1956). Therein, then 49-years-old Satō Kanzan (佐藤寒山, 1907–1987) is warning readers...

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Easter eBook Super Sale

Continuing the tradition, an Easter eBook Super Sale where ALL of my eBooks are reduced by 50% is back on! This offer will be valid for until April 28, so you have enough time to decide what you want....

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Hachisuka Daimyō Patronage

The title of this short article is not really catchy, but I didn’t want to say “yet another interesting blade” again. In any case, what got the ball rolling, if you will, is the blade shown in picture...

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NBTHK Kanshō/Kantei Blades Analysis

In a recent conversation I had with a collector, the topic of the “uneven playing field” of available blades to study between Japan and outside of Japan came up. Obviously, the chances to study more...

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2025 Dai Tōken Ichi

Booked, see you in Tōkyō in fall! Looking very much forward to catching up, and if we haven’t met yet, please grab me and say Hi

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Norimune (則宗)

The other day, I posted on my IG (@swordtranslator) one of the only five surviving signed works by Norimune (則宗), who is regarded as the founder of the prestigious Fukuoka-Ichimonji (福岡一文字) School,...

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