Title:  Japanese Swords of HIZEN PROVINCE

                 A new must have book for every collector and enthusiast

                 This impeccable new addition for the sword collector, written by

                 Fred Fimio on the smiths of Hizen Province is a scholarly work worthy

                 of the most fastidious collector.

                Over 200 pages, including 185 pages of full colour, high quality

                photographs and illustrations showing the fine detail of the swords

                and fittings.

                This book covers the full range of all six Hizento groups and every

                sword in the collection is personally examined and critiqued with

                full description and explanation.  Each sword in the collection has

                documented.  It has been designed to lay flat for ease of reading and

                study, thus easier for comparisons with blade in hand and for use as

                a reserch vehicle or travel hand-book.

                Cost:  $179.00 CDN plus shipping

Title:  Token Bijutsu - The Journal of Japanese Fine Art 

             Swords:  Collected Essays, Volume 1 & 2 

               For the student and Japanese sword collector in search of

              authoritative first hand knowledge, identification, individual

  View description and forward

                                 Title:  Swords and Swordsmiths of the Gendaito

            Period:  1868 – 1989

            This newly released 250 page soft

cover book.  Details the swords

of this period.  This is a must

have volume for any collector. 

Includes the Military collection.

Author:  Frederick Fimio

Publisher:  JSSC

 View description and forward

Cost:              $75.00 (CDN)

                      plus shipping and handling $10.00 CDN

                      (U.S. & Canada) $40.00 (International)

                                  Please send Postal Money Order, or  Bank Draft  

Title:  Swords and Swordsmiths of Bizen Province

            2ND EDITION (Covering the period from 250 a.d. to 1868)

This is a must for anyone studying swords of the

Bizen school.  First edition was sold out.  The new and

improved 2nd edition is simulated leather bound and 

contains 260 pages of photos and facts  including the

workstyles and idiocyncracies of the individual smiths. 

Excellent research and kantei fact book.  

Author:  Frederick Fimio

Publisher:  JSSC

            View description and forward

Cost:    For advance orders, the price will remain at

$150.00 CDN plus shipping and handling $25.00 CDN

(U.S. & Canada) $40.00 (International). 

Look for instructional books suitable for the Novice,

Intermediate, Advanced, and want-to-be collectors,

as well as books that can be used in conjunction with

our correspondence courses.

Title:  Token Bijutsu - The Journal of Japanese Fine Art  Sword:  Collected Essays, Volume 1 & 2

By:  FREDERICK A. FIMIO

DESCRIPTION:

Title:  Swords and Swordsmiths of the Gendaito           Period: 1868 – 1989

By Frederick A. Fimio

DESCRIPTION

This limited edition is expected to sell out as quickly as

Swords and Swordsmiths of Bizen Province.  It covers not only

the Gendai smiths, but also those who have crossed over from

Shin Shinto to Gendai, including smiths never before covered in

any other publication.

Included in this book are oshigatas and photos of sword tangs,

a two-page chart of Japanese characters found on Gendai swords,

a two-page guide on how to read and translate Japanese inscriptions

on swords, information on how to read and translate the Japanese

characters on the pages of Fujishiro’s two-volume set of sword tangs,

a glossary of Japanese word terms and 73 pages of Gendai swordsmiths’ names, dates, signatures and sword values.

Back to Books for Sale

FOREWORD

By Arnold Frenzel

May, 2002

 

Those of us who have collected Japanese swords for some years

are struck by numerous changes that have occurred in the field,

not the least remarkable being the comparative increased appreciation for gendaito.

 

The appreciation has been two-fold; first, the new and deserved

recognition of the fine quality of such outstanding smiths as Watanabe Kanenaga, Yoshihara Kuniiye, Tsukamato Okimasa, Kasama Shigetsugu, Miyaguchi Toshihiro and others – one of whom may well be the first gendaito Juyo Token designated in the not too distant future – and secondly, the real relative rise in the financial value of gendaito.

 

This new work by Fred Fimio joins a number of recent publications

spurred by the interest in gendaito.  With the exception of very early

gendaito smiths, such as Gassan Sadakazu, Horii Taneyoshi, Miyamoto Kanenori, Sakurai Masatsugu, Rayama Enshin, Kasama Shinetsugu and Takahashi Sadatsugu, few are illustrated in the standard comprehensive books featuring oshigata.

 

The foregoing omissions make this a useful reference volume.  In

addition to numerous oshigata, Fred has included a brief historical

outline, some personal observations, character tables, a glossary,

and index of 1500 gendai smiths, and, what I believe will be particularly helpful, a sort of rosetta stone for reading nakago inscriptions, or at least understanding the kind of information often found there.  This book is a useful contribution to a rapidly growing literature.

Back to Books for Sale

Title:  Swords and Swordsmiths of Bizen Province

By:  Frederick A. Fimio

DESCRIPTION

This book has been sold out.  We are now taking orders for a

second and vastly improved edition.  The first edition was 185

pages.  The second edition will have many more photos of

swords and signatures or a much more improved quality. 

Included will be a guide on how to read the Japanese

characters, a two-page list of characters used in Japanese

swordsmiths’ names, a more complete description of

workmanship and idiosyncrasies of each individual

representative smith from each school and period and

historical background.

Back to Books For Sale

FOREWORD:

By:  Gordon L. Robson

To the connoisseur of the Japanese sword, the name Bizen is almost magical.  It has been called the “Sword Kingdom” for the concentration of smiths there as well as the superb quality of its products.  The combinations of plentiful and high quality iron ore, vast forests of pine and numerous rivers were the reasons for this.

 

From the earliest times of sword manufacturing in Japan, Bizen has been at the forefront.  The result has been that, for the collector, Bizen swords are the most plentiful and often of an artistic level to be found nowhere else.  Despite this great availability of swords for the collector, the total lack of any single volume devoted to Bizen swords in English is indeed surprising.  It was thus, with a great deal of interest, that I learned of Fred’s plan to publish a volume of his long and tireless work on the subject.  I am sure that the task has been daunting and yet, Fred has managed to provide a succinct and insightful survey of the schools, major and minor, in Bizen province.

 

Moreover, he has provided a very interesting introduction to his topic with a discussion of the various developments in the Bizen area from the seventh century in terms of the archaeological record as well as the social and political developments that took place during the period leading up to the first appearance of a true Japanese sword.

 

Seemingly not satisfied with his survey of schools, Fred has also provided a very useful glossary of terms and then a massive listing of some 4000 swordsmiths working in Bizen.  I am sure, connoisseurs of all types and levels will find something of interest to them.  In addition, as Fred has noted, this is a book that can help launch further research into this enormously rich area of study.

 

It is thus, with a great deal of pleasure, that I provide this simple introduction to a might subject.

Following is a list of Books for Sale from Fred Fimio's Collection