A short bibliography

Warning: I am not a pro and do not yet have the knowledge to rate and critique any authors. These are just a few works which I have found.

blue ball Alfieri, Bianca Maria et al. Armi e armatura asiatiche. Milano: Bramante Editrice, 1974. 195 p. plus plates.

blue ballBottomley, I. & Hopson, A.P. Arms and armour of the samurai: the history of weaponry in ancient Japan. New York, NY : Crescent Books distributed by Crown Publishers, 1988. 192 p.

blue ball Gunsaulus, Helen C. Japanese sword and its decoration. Chicago : Field Museum of Natural History, 1924. 21 p. Anthropology leaflet 20.

blue ballHeckmann, Gunther. Tsuba. Nurtingen : H.U.B. Verlag, 1995. This book is composed of 143 colour plates with descriptions in English, German and Japanese. It also contains glossaries and indices in t he same languages. A bit pricey, but a very good pictorial reference.

blue ball Izzard, Sebastian (ed.) One hundred masterpieces from the collection of Dr. Walter A. Compton : Japanese swords, sword-fittings , and other accoutrements. New York, NY : Christie, Manson & Woods International, 1992. 321 p.

blue ballKowalski, Bruce et al. (eds.) Art and the sword. Breckenridge, TX : Japanese Sword Society of the United States, Inc., 1988-. A series produced by the JSSUS.

blue ball Robinson, B. W. Arts of the Japanese sword. London, England : Faber & Faber, c1961.

blue ballMasayuki Sasano translated by Tomoko Sato,edited by John Harding. Japanese sword guards masterpieces from the Sasano Collection. Tokyo, Japan : Mitsumura Printing Co., Ltd ; London, England : Toky o Gallery Ltd., 1994. 341 p. A must have for anyone interested in iron, especially sukashi (pierced), tsuba.

blue ballKanzan Sato, translated and adapted by Joe Earle.Japanese sword. Tokyo : Kodansha International Ltd. and Shibundo, 1983. 210 p.

blue ball Tarassuk, Leonid &; Blair, Claude. Complete encyclopedia of arms and weapons. [New York] : Bonanza books, distributed by Crown Publishers, c1979. Translation of enciclopedia ragionata delle armi. 544 p.

If you are interested in books on tsuba, I would recommend the interlibrary loan facilities of your local library. If you wish to purchase your materials, visit the Paragon Book Gallery. They specialize in books on Asian arts and studies and they have a reasonable selection of both new and older titles on the japanese sword and sword fittings.

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Last revised: June 19, 1998