Category: Books

Kokusai Tosogu Kai

Full set: 1500 Euro

Single book: 100 Euro

The Art of the Japanese Sword – The craft of swordmaking and its appreciation – by Leon and Hiroko Kapp / Yoshindo Yoshihara

256 pages, hardcover, mint condition like new

Price: 60 Euro

Tosogu- by Hirata Michiko / Sannenzaka Museum

Published by Hirata Michiko in 2001, this book features high quality Tosogu from the museum in high quality color photographs. All descriptions are in Japanese, lucky titles are in English.

~80 pages, hardcover, very good condition

Price: 45 Euro

Tsuba – Beauty of Design and Craftsmenship by Hayashi Eiroku

Published in 2012, this book shows on 150 pages in crisp black and white pictures the beauty of tsuba. All descriptions in Japanese.

150 pages, softcover, mint condition like new

Price: 45 Euro

100 Masterpieces from the Collection of Dr. Walter A. Compton by Christies

Released in 1992 when the famous collection of Walter A. Compton was auctioned off by Christies. The 100 Masterworks are described in English and shown in high-quality color images for Tosogu and black and white images for Blades.

321 pages, hardcover, clothbound, dustcover, slipcase, good condition

Price: 100 Euro

The Hartman Collection of Japanese Matalwork by Christies

This book is the catalog for the Tosogu “Hartman Collection” auction that took place in 1976. All 676 lots are described in English and Japanese. Most soft metal items have a color photo, iron tsuba are shown in black and white. What makes this catalog so interesting is a booklet with price estimates. Many great works of art have also emerged from this collection.

163 pages, hardcover, clothbound, good condition for a 46 year old book

Price: 180 Euro

Lethal Elegance – The Art of Japanese Sword Fittings by Joe Earle

This English language book was published in 2004 by Joe Earle (Boston Museum of Fine Arts). It shows 150 high-quality sword fittings with a focus on their style and techniques. Visual effects of different alloys as well as evolution and symbolism are also discussed and explained.

This book is the hardcover version!

256 pages, hardcover (!!), very good condition

Price: 70 Euro

Nihon no Bi – The Japanese Sword by Gakken

A modern book that gives a very good introduction to “The Japanese Sword” with full size fold out photos of blades, tosogu, tsuba and more.

Just read the review by Markus Sesko! 

252 pages, softcover, slipcase, very good condition

Price: 120 Euro

Tanto no Bi – The Beauty of Tanto

This beautiful cloth-bound book, published by the Sano Museum in 2009 and hard to find, shows more than 50 tanto in detailed photographs and sometimes with oshigata. Since all descriptions are in Japanese, the book contains an index in English. All full translations – made by Markus Sesko – are also included.

~160 pages, clothbound, condition like new, discoloration on the slipcase

Price: 220 Euro including full translation to German

Tosogu no Kansho I

The first book was published by Shoyukai in 1982 and contains nearly 180 important Tosogu items from the Muromachi to Meiji periods in good color pictures. All descriptions are in Japanese and English.

Vol.1 ~80 pages, clothbound, good condition, cover has discoloration due to sunlight

Price: 100 Euro

Iron Tsuba – The Works of the Exhibition “Kurogane no Hana”

This book, published by NBTHK in 2014, was created for the “Kurogane no Hana” exhibition held at NBTHK’s museum. All descriptions are in Japanese and English. This exhibition featured very important iron tsuba.

~150 pages, very good condition

Price: 120 Euro

Japanische Schwertzierraten – Sammlung G. Oeder

This book is a copy of the book on the famous Oeder collection. The condition is good.

If you manage to find the original book through the Oeder Collection, you will find it very expensive because it is very rare. But that is not necessary as this book provides equally good information about one of the famous Tosogu collections.

~220 pages, clothbound

Price: 200 Euro

Studiensammlung japanischer Schwertzierrate by Robert E. Haynes

Book in good condition, all pages are fine, some slight discoloration due to age on the cover

Language: German

Published in 2010 by Robert E. Haynes, this book contains photos and descriptions of around 180 tsuba, representing the pinnacle of Robert Haynes’ collection. All photos are in color and in original size. A section with signatures completes this book.

~335 pages

Price: 150 Euro

Selected fine Japanese Swords from European NBTHK Collections

Published in 2002 by the NBTHK European Branch, this books shows and describes in detail 45 swords, 6 koshirae as well as tosogu. It features an article about Yagyu tsuba as well.

Descriptions are in German and English.

The book is in used condition, all pages are fine, some discoloration due to age

~330 pages

Price: 160 Euro

Late Edo and Meiji Period Sword Guards and Fittings

Collection of Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum

Bakumatsu Meiji no Tsuba: Toso Kinko

Book in good condition, slight usage on the envelope

Published in 2008 by Masayuki Murata and Michiko Hirota. 

The items shown are from the collection of the Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum.

All descriptions are in English and Japanese and give a lot of information. The book is also a good reference for comparing and validating signatures.

As it is out of print, this book is getting harder to find.

160 pages

Price: 250 Euro

Volume 1,2 and 3

Volume 1: 562 pages

Volume 2: 685 pages

Price: SOLD

Note: Volume 3 is included but not published yet

Hayshi and Kamiyoshi by Ito Mitsuru

Pages: ~470 pages

Condition: like new

The biggest of the three Higo books published by Ito Mitsuru.

English translation included!

Full set also available!

Price: sold

Meihin Katanaezu Shusei

by Tanobe Michihiro (former head researcher NBTHK)

Book in mint condition, like new

210 pages

XXL-Size: (51cm x 36,5cm x 3cm)

Including cloth slipcase

Price: sold

The Connoisseur’s Book of Japanese Swords by Kokan Nagayama

Book in used condition, all pages are fine, some slight discoloration due to age

Published in 1997 by Kokan Nagayama, the technical terms, various schools and time periods are explained with many graphics on 355 pages – entirely in English.

This is THE reference book when it comes to Japanese swords. Especially when it comes to kantei (figuring out which smith made a sword).

Lately this book has been very hard to come.

355 pages

Price: sold

Masamune – His work, his fame and his legay by Markus Sesko

This book published by Markus Sesko in 2015 contains great research and knowledge about Masamune in English.

177 pages, hardcover, the book is new

Price: sold

TSUBA – by Günther Heckmann

This book, published in 1995 by Günther Heckmann, contains 145 tsuba with high-quality pictures and descriptions in English and German. A reference for comparing signatures is also included.

168 pages, hardcover, slipcase, good condition

Price: sold

The Art Appreciation of Japanese Sword Fittings by Fukushi Shigeo

Book in perfect condition

Published in 2012 by Fukushi Shigeo, this book contains high quality color pictures of Tosogu with explanations in English and Japanese.

What makes this book unique is the background information on the design featured on the various items.

417 pages

Price: sold

Full set including English translations

Full set: sold

Not for sale separately, only as full set

Art of the Samurai by The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Morihiro Ogawa

This book, published in 2009, was created for a major exhibition at the museum that included many national treasures, swords and armor. This large book, written in English, gives a great overview of the “Art of the Samurai”.

344 pages, hardcover, slipcase, very good condition

Price: sold

Tameshigiri by Markus Sesko

Book in perfect condition,like new like it was never opened

Published in 2014 by Markus Sesko, this book contains everything there is to know about Tameshigiri, the history and development of Japanse sword testing.

375 pages

Price: sold

Tosogu – by Naoko Naito

This little book published by Naoko Naito in 2017 is probably the most modern designed book on Tosogu out there, a little work of art in itself. It offers many high-quality Tosogu in brilliant pictures with descriptions in Japanese. Really a nice little book to have.

~110 pages, softcover, slipcase, mint condition like new

Price: sold

Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords by Nobuo Nakahara

The book is in a very good condition, all pages are fine like it was never read. Some slight discoloration on the top due to sunlight, I guess.

Translated to English by Paul Martin, this book provides a very good introduction to Japanese swords. As the book seems to be out of print, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Pages: ~190

Price: sold

Tosogu Machibori Meihin Shusei

by Fukushi Shigeo

Perfect condition, like new

~ 425 pages

Very large (38cm x 27cm x 4cm)

Price: sold

Sukashi Tsuba in europäischen Sammlungen by Eckhard Kremers

This book, published in 1994, features classic old iron tsuba. Descriptions are in English and German.

Professor Eckhard Kremers was a student of Sasano. He is currently the President of the NBTHK European Branch.

~190 pages, very good condition, tiny repairs on the dust cover

Price: sold

Toso Ishiguro Ha no Sekai – The Ishiguro School of Japanese Sword Fittings Artists by Kacho Kenran

The NBTHK held an exhibition about the Ishiguro school in 2016, so they released this hardcover book in Japanese and English. 

This book gives a very good introduction to the school, its masters, design and works which are without a doubt at the pinnacle of the late Edo Soft Metal Tosogu.

95 pages, hardcover, mint condition

Price: sold

Schwerter des Nihonto-Club Deutschland by Markus Sesko

This book, published in 2011 by Markus Sesko, contains 40 blades (12 Juyo) from the “Nihonto Club Germany” and provides detailed information about the school or smith in German.

112 pages, softcover, good condition, German

Price: sold

Schwerter des Nihonto-Club Deutschland 2 by Markus Sesko

This book, published in 2013 by Markus Sesko, contains 31 blades including Tsuba and Kodogu from the “Nihonto Club Germany” and provides detailed information about the school or smith in German.

94 pages, softcover, good condition, German

Price: sold

Japanese Master Swordsmiths: The Gassan Tradition- by Morihiro Ogawa

This book, published in 1989, is packed with lots of information in English and Japanese, photos and oshigata of swords made by the Gassan school. This book was created for the exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

85 pages, softcover, good condition, slight discoloration on the edges due to age

Price: sold