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Jingasa

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Jingasa By: Ian Bottomley Jingasa are items that I have always never really understood. Over the years I have owned a few, and still have some, but I never really found out much about them. What did the different shapes signify? Why were they worn and when? When were they first used ? These are all questions I have never really obtained answers to. Recently I was loaned copies of the ‘Daruma’ magazine in which there are a series of articles on jingasa by Akemi Masaharu that gives some more detail ( issues No 27, 36, 42, 47 and 57). Using that information, as well as my own thoughts on the subject has led me to write these few words on the subject. It is generally acknowledged that jingasa originated as a form of helmet made for lower ranking troops during the Sengoku Jidai. Exactly when they were first made is debatable. Early foot soldiers, ashigaru, were only poorly equipped by their commanders, relying on battlefield loot as their source of equipment ...
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NBTHK Paper levels and their effect on value (discussion from forum to share)

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This is an interesting topic with regards to NBTHK paper levels and their effect on values from the Nihonto forum which I would like to share: Source: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12048-paper-levels-and-their-effect-on-value/page-2?hl=%20ryumon%20%20nobuyoshi In summary: Some years ago when the Fittings Museum collection was being auctioned at Christie's Darcy went to New York to look at the swords and the sword was attributed to Senjuin by the fittings museum but had no other papers and he  bought it thinking it would attribute to another smith.       http://www.christies... ... 400c019579 GBP 21,510 + 5378 (25% buyers premium) = GBP 26,999 (US$35,000 ~ 38000 depending on exchange rate) After sending it in for Shinsa and i t papered to Ryumon Nobuyoshi.  Now, potential buyers who went out and sought opinions were told that the price of the sword was "too high" because it was "only Tokubetsu Hozon." People were assessing the swo...
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N.B.T.H.K. (Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kai)

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N.B.T.H.K. (Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kai) The N.B.T.H.K. (Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kai) was founded in 1948 and is commonly recognized by collectors. They operate the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. The NBTHK shinsa are held only in Japan. The names of their origami have changed over time. The N.B.T.H.K. issued the following types of origami starting in the 1950's. KICHO   (white papers) - "Important Work" TOKUBETSU KICHO   (green papers) - "Extraordinary Work" KOSHU TOKUBETSU KICHO   (blue papers) - "Special Extraordinary Work JUYO TOKEN   - "Very Important Work" TOKUBETSU JUYO   - "Extraordinarily Important Work" This ranking scale was changed in the 1980's. The current system of origami includes the following types: HOZON   - "Worthy of Preservation" TOKUBETSU HOZON   - "Extraordinarily Worthy of Preservation" JUYO TOKEN   - "Very Important Work" TOKUBETSU JUYO   -...
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