Programme to celebrate our 60th anniversary
20-21 September 2024
Friday, 20 September: visit to the British Museum (Gt. Russel St, London WC1B 3DG)
Firstly, on Friday afternoon, we shall visit the British Museum, where we shall have the opportunity to study in
hand some remarkable swords, koshirae, tsuba and tosogu from their collection, eg:
- the ex-Compton-collection Juyo Shintogo Kunimitsu tanto by the founder of the Soshu tradition (an
exquisite blade never before taken out for such wider study);
- ex-Compton-collection Juyo Ko-Bizen Yoshikane tachi (remarkable ubu zaimei blade);
- various Ko-Aoe and Ko-Bizen blades as well as Ichimonji, Tametsugu, Muramasa, Hirokawa Kunihiro
and others
- various Goto kodogu and top-level koshirae
Friday, 20 September: dinner at Cocoro
We have planned to start dinner around 18:00 but the restaurant can accommodate arrivals slightly earlier too,
from 17:30 onwards. Please note that the restaurant opens at 17:30, so please do not arrive earlier.
The address is: 25 Coptic Street, London WC1A 1NT
Saturday study day at Japan House (101 Kensington High St, London W8 5SA)
This exhilarating event has a twist! We have prepared an exhibition of exceptional blades and tosogu for
viewing only, as handling of blades and collectibles is not allowed in Japan House. However, we shall not reveal
the ‘identity’ of the blades until the afternoon.
We encourage you to form your own views, on the basis of the sugata and characteristics you can see, as to
who has forged them. So, while not quite a fully-fledged kantei, we at least can attempt a half-way analysis.
London meeting on 18th May 2024
The topic is"Beauty of Nie,"presented by Michael Spasov.
Date:Saturday, 18th May 2024
Time:2-4 pm
Address:Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DR
Room:Conference room
Scottish Regional meeting
Our next regional meeting which will take place on June 29th in Gullane. Gullane lies just to the south of Edinburgh and has proven to be a popular venue. We have yet to finalise the agenda but at the moment we are considering looking at the development from Yamato to Mino using swords from members collections to illustrate the transition. Long term member Ray Flockhart has also offered to give a presentation showing a number of swords he has acquired in a long collecting career.
We will also hold a kantei, something that has proven very popular at previous events.
As at previous events we will have a sales table for members to offer pieces from their collections. As agreed at the recent AGM inclusion of pieces will be subject to a nominal charge paid prior to the meeting.
Museum study day July 20th
We have arranged for a museum visit on July 20th to Cliffe Castle museum in Keithley. Included within the collection are 20 or more swords the majority of which were donated to the museum in 1923. We have selected 10 swords for hands on study. Although the blades are mainly shinto and shin-shinto works some of the koshirae are of excellent quality. A full agenda will be published nearer the time. In the meantime, more information about Cliffe museum can be found on the link below:
