Author: Setsuo Takaiwa
Publisher: Planeta Publishing
ISBN: 9784770024947
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 200
Book Description
To understand Japanese sword polishing is to understand the Japanese sword. Down through the years, the great sword connoisseurs in Japan have been sword polishers. A swordsmith can spend a large amount of time forging a classic sword, but refining and bringing out its final shape, color and texture so that all the details of the steel and hamon (the temper line) are clearly visible is the responsibility of another craftsman - the sword polisher. An experienced polisher can tell immediately by whom a blade was made, so discintctive is each smith's work and so vital is such knowledge to the skilled polisher.The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing is the first book in English to examine in great detail the polisher's techniques - skills it often takes up to ten years of apprenticeship to master. The book illustrates the methods, materials and tools used for this process. But its true aim is to enable the reader to fully appreciate the beauty of a well-crafted Japanese sword. As readers learn both how the sword polisher enhances the beauty of the blade and how he handles the problems of coaxing out its finest qualities through his polishing techniques, they will come to a deeper understanding of the fine art of making the Japanese sword and will be able to view, purchase or collect swords with greater pleasure.
The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing
Author: Setsuo Takaiwa
Publisher: Planeta Publishing
ISBN: 9784770024947
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 200
Book Description
To understand Japanese sword polishing is to understand the Japanese sword. Down through the years, the great sword connoisseurs in Japan have been sword polishers. A swordsmith can spend a large amount of time forging a classic sword, but refining and bringing out its final shape, color and texture so that all the details of the steel and hamon (the temper line) are clearly visible is the responsibility of another craftsman - the sword polisher. An experienced polisher can tell immediately by whom a blade was made, so discintctive is each smith's work and so vital is such knowledge to the skilled polisher.The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing is the first book in English to examine in great detail the polisher's techniques - skills it often takes up to ten years of apprenticeship to master. The book illustrates the methods, materials and tools used for this process. But its true aim is to enable the reader to fully appreciate the beauty of a well-crafted Japanese sword. As readers learn both how the sword polisher enhances the beauty of the blade and how he handles the problems of coaxing out its finest qualities through his polishing techniques, they will come to a deeper understanding of the fine art of making the Japanese sword and will be able to view, purchase or collect swords with greater pleasure.
Publisher: Planeta Publishing
ISBN: 9784770024947
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 200
Book Description
To understand Japanese sword polishing is to understand the Japanese sword. Down through the years, the great sword connoisseurs in Japan have been sword polishers. A swordsmith can spend a large amount of time forging a classic sword, but refining and bringing out its final shape, color and texture so that all the details of the steel and hamon (the temper line) are clearly visible is the responsibility of another craftsman - the sword polisher. An experienced polisher can tell immediately by whom a blade was made, so discintctive is each smith's work and so vital is such knowledge to the skilled polisher.The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing is the first book in English to examine in great detail the polisher's techniques - skills it often takes up to ten years of apprenticeship to master. The book illustrates the methods, materials and tools used for this process. But its true aim is to enable the reader to fully appreciate the beauty of a well-crafted Japanese sword. As readers learn both how the sword polisher enhances the beauty of the blade and how he handles the problems of coaxing out its finest qualities through his polishing techniques, they will come to a deeper understanding of the fine art of making the Japanese sword and will be able to view, purchase or collect swords with greater pleasure.
Art of the Japanese Sword
Author: Yoshindo Yoshihara
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462909965
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 592
Book Description
In The Art of the Japanese Sword, master swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara offers a detailed look at the entire process of Japanese sword making, including the finishing and appreciation of Japanese blades. Japanese sword art stands out in many ways: functionality as a weapon, sophisticated metallurgy and metalsmithing, the shape of the blade itself--all contribute to the beauty of these remarkable weapons. The Art of the Japanese Sword conveys to the reader Japanese samurai sword history and Japanese sword care, as well as explaining how to view and appreciate a blade. With 256 full-color pages, this sword book illustrates in meticulous detail how modern craftsmen use traditional methods to prepare their steel, forge the sword and create the unique hardened edge. By gaining a good understanding of how a sword is actually made, the reader will be able to appreciate the samurai sword more fully. Topics include: Appreciating the Japanese sword History of the Japanese sword Traditional Japanese steelmaking Making the sword Finishing the sword
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462909965
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 592
Book Description
In The Art of the Japanese Sword, master swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara offers a detailed look at the entire process of Japanese sword making, including the finishing and appreciation of Japanese blades. Japanese sword art stands out in many ways: functionality as a weapon, sophisticated metallurgy and metalsmithing, the shape of the blade itself--all contribute to the beauty of these remarkable weapons. The Art of the Japanese Sword conveys to the reader Japanese samurai sword history and Japanese sword care, as well as explaining how to view and appreciate a blade. With 256 full-color pages, this sword book illustrates in meticulous detail how modern craftsmen use traditional methods to prepare their steel, forge the sword and create the unique hardened edge. By gaining a good understanding of how a sword is actually made, the reader will be able to appreciate the samurai sword more fully. Topics include: Appreciating the Japanese sword History of the Japanese sword Traditional Japanese steelmaking Making the sword Finishing the sword
The Craft of the Japanese Sword
Author: Leon Kapp
Publisher: Kodansha International
ISBN: 9780870117985
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
From raw steel to tempered blade, this text presents a visual account of thencient craft of swordmaking as practiced in modern Japan.
Publisher: Kodansha International
ISBN: 9780870117985
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
From raw steel to tempered blade, this text presents a visual account of thencient craft of swordmaking as practiced in modern Japan.
The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords
Author: Kōkan Nagayama
Publisher: Kodansha International
ISBN: 9784770020710
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
Connoisseur's Book Japanese Swords is a Kodansha International publication.
Publisher: Kodansha International
ISBN: 9784770020710
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
Connoisseur's Book Japanese Swords is a Kodansha International publication.
The Art of Tsukamaki
Author: Thomas Buck
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781505226140
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 136
Book Description
Tsukamaki, combining aesthetics, form and function, is the deceptively simple Japanese art of sword handle wrapping. Dr. Buck's work presents a general historical overview of the evolution of Japanese samurai swords and sword mounts, as well as step-by-step instructions and diagrams for 25 specific types of sword handle wrapping. It also includes a compact visual glossary of Japanese swords, general temper patterns and common signature characters. As a reference book, it is both an excellent introduction to the art of Tsukamaki, and a complete how-to guide for the beginner tsukamaki-shi, or sword handle wrapper.
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781505226140
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 136
Book Description
Tsukamaki, combining aesthetics, form and function, is the deceptively simple Japanese art of sword handle wrapping. Dr. Buck's work presents a general historical overview of the evolution of Japanese samurai swords and sword mounts, as well as step-by-step instructions and diagrams for 25 specific types of sword handle wrapping. It also includes a compact visual glossary of Japanese swords, general temper patterns and common signature characters. As a reference book, it is both an excellent introduction to the art of Tsukamaki, and a complete how-to guide for the beginner tsukamaki-shi, or sword handle wrapper.
Samurai Sword
Author: John M. Yumoto
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462907067
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 208
Book Description
The samurai sword: a symbol of the spirit of old Japan, it embodies the samurai's steel discipline, unswerving devotion and peerless skill. With its creation, a feat of craftsmanship passed down by generations of artisans, the samurai sword is generally considered to be superior even to the famed blades of Western Damascus and Toledo. The Samurai Sword Handbook is a precise exploration of the samurai sword designed for sword collectors as well as anyone intrigued by these ancient blades. Detailing the origins and development of the samurai sword, its historical background, styles, famous schools and differences in construction, this revised edition of the classic reference outlines methods of identifying and researching the sword, as well as caring for it properly. This must-have for sword lovers is sure to be a bestseller. Topics of this Samurai book include: Japanese History and the Samurai Sword Types of swords Parts of the sword Blade shape, construction, and grain The making of the sword Inscriptions and their readings Care and maintenance Appraisal and value Relative point values
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462907067
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 208
Book Description
The samurai sword: a symbol of the spirit of old Japan, it embodies the samurai's steel discipline, unswerving devotion and peerless skill. With its creation, a feat of craftsmanship passed down by generations of artisans, the samurai sword is generally considered to be superior even to the famed blades of Western Damascus and Toledo. The Samurai Sword Handbook is a precise exploration of the samurai sword designed for sword collectors as well as anyone intrigued by these ancient blades. Detailing the origins and development of the samurai sword, its historical background, styles, famous schools and differences in construction, this revised edition of the classic reference outlines methods of identifying and researching the sword, as well as caring for it properly. This must-have for sword lovers is sure to be a bestseller. Topics of this Samurai book include: Japanese History and the Samurai Sword Types of swords Parts of the sword Blade shape, construction, and grain The making of the sword Inscriptions and their readings Care and maintenance Appraisal and value Relative point values
Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths
Author: Leon Kapp
Publisher: Kodansha International
ISBN: 9784770019622
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 244
Book Description
A comprehensive overview of the major events in the history of the contemporary Japanese sword and the work of many of the best smiths active today.
Publisher: Kodansha International
ISBN: 9784770019622
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 244
Book Description
A comprehensive overview of the major events in the history of the contemporary Japanese sword and the work of many of the best smiths active today.
Samurai Swords
Author: Clive Sinclaire
Publisher: Chartwell Books
ISBN: 9780785825630
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
For 700 years Japanese civilization was dominated by a single warrior caste. This project looks at the weaponry of Samurai men and women over the centuries with specifically commissioned photography of reenactors wearing and museum-quality clothing and weaponry.
Publisher: Chartwell Books
ISBN: 9780785825630
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
For 700 years Japanese civilization was dominated by a single warrior caste. This project looks at the weaponry of Samurai men and women over the centuries with specifically commissioned photography of reenactors wearing and museum-quality clothing and weaponry.
Art of the Samurai
Author: 原田一敏
Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art
ISBN: 1588393453
Category : Armor
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
"This extensively illustrated catalogue is published in conjunction with the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the arts of the samurai, including the finest examples of swords - the spirit of the samurai - as well as sword mountings and fittings, armor and helmets, saddles, textiles, and paintings. The works in the catalogue, drawn from public and private collections in Japan, include 34 officially designated National Treasures and 64 Important Cultural Properties, the largest number ever to be shown together at one time. Dating from the 5th to the early 20th century, these majestic objects offer a complete picture of samurai culture and its unique blend of the martial and the refined." "Many of the greatest Japanese swordsmiths are represented in this volume, from early masters such as Yasuie (12th century) and Tomomitsu (14th century) to the Edo-period smiths Nagasone Kotetsu and Kiyomaro. The blades by these and other masters, cherished as much for their beauty as for their cutting efficiency, were equipped with elaborate hilts and scabbards prized for their exquisite craftsmanship and fine materials such as silk, rayskin, gold, lacquer, and certain alloys unique to Japan. Japanese armor is also fully surveyed, from the rarest iron armor of the Kofun period (5th century) to the inventive ceremonial helmets made toward the end of the age of the samurai." --Book Jacket.
Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art
ISBN: 1588393453
Category : Armor
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
"This extensively illustrated catalogue is published in conjunction with the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the arts of the samurai, including the finest examples of swords - the spirit of the samurai - as well as sword mountings and fittings, armor and helmets, saddles, textiles, and paintings. The works in the catalogue, drawn from public and private collections in Japan, include 34 officially designated National Treasures and 64 Important Cultural Properties, the largest number ever to be shown together at one time. Dating from the 5th to the early 20th century, these majestic objects offer a complete picture of samurai culture and its unique blend of the martial and the refined." "Many of the greatest Japanese swordsmiths are represented in this volume, from early masters such as Yasuie (12th century) and Tomomitsu (14th century) to the Edo-period smiths Nagasone Kotetsu and Kiyomaro. The blades by these and other masters, cherished as much for their beauty as for their cutting efficiency, were equipped with elaborate hilts and scabbards prized for their exquisite craftsmanship and fine materials such as silk, rayskin, gold, lacquer, and certain alloys unique to Japan. Japanese armor is also fully surveyed, from the rarest iron armor of the Kofun period (5th century) to the inventive ceremonial helmets made toward the end of the age of the samurai." --Book Jacket.
Lethal Elegance
Author: Joe Earle
Publisher: MFA Publications
ISBN: 9780878467754
Category : Samurai
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
As the "soul of the samurai," the sword is famously both the symbol and instrument of Japanese military prowess. Less known, at least in the west, is its role as a fashion accessory or status symbol. More than the weapon itself, it was the sword's metal fittings--from the hand guard to the small decorative plates on the hilt--that reflected the complexities of samurai life. Some fittings were meant to convey the honor and self-control expected of a samurai, while other, more flamboyant fittings reflected the samurai's leisure-time persona as "man about town." Later, when the wearing of swords spread beyond the samurai class, both the decorative function of the fittings and the variety of their designs increased, leading to some of the most accomplished metalwork ever created. Now in paperback for the first time, Lethal Elegance presents 150 of these remarkable sword fittings, and is one of the few books to focus on their styles and techniques. It discusses the visual effects achieved with different alloys, the evolution of fittings following changes in warfare, symbolism and standards for connoisseurship. Though these objects were created for violent ends, their variety and beauty also reveal them as wonders of self-expression.
Publisher: MFA Publications
ISBN: 9780878467754
Category : Samurai
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
As the "soul of the samurai," the sword is famously both the symbol and instrument of Japanese military prowess. Less known, at least in the west, is its role as a fashion accessory or status symbol. More than the weapon itself, it was the sword's metal fittings--from the hand guard to the small decorative plates on the hilt--that reflected the complexities of samurai life. Some fittings were meant to convey the honor and self-control expected of a samurai, while other, more flamboyant fittings reflected the samurai's leisure-time persona as "man about town." Later, when the wearing of swords spread beyond the samurai class, both the decorative function of the fittings and the variety of their designs increased, leading to some of the most accomplished metalwork ever created. Now in paperback for the first time, Lethal Elegance presents 150 of these remarkable sword fittings, and is one of the few books to focus on their styles and techniques. It discusses the visual effects achieved with different alloys, the evolution of fittings following changes in warfare, symbolism and standards for connoisseurship. Though these objects were created for violent ends, their variety and beauty also reveal them as wonders of self-expression.