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Jason W
2nd April 2003, 14:37
I'm not sure where I should have posted this, but since it concerns an historical issue, I thought it may fit here.

Could someone please tell me the name and contact details for an authorirty on shuriken, based in the US, possibly in the Chicago area?

Sounds like an interesting little project has come about.

thanks in advance

Jason Wotherspoon
http://www.aikidoaus.com.au/dojo/shuriken

Jason W
3rd April 2003, 02:50
OK, what am I doing wrong? Is it because I'm a newbie, or I'm posting in the wrong place, or no-one here knows, or just plain no-one cares? Not enough info?

I'm looking for someone who has a good knowledge of old shuriken, shaken, manriki, jutte and kusari gama for authentication purposes.

More info for those interested in helping...

cheers,
Jason

ChrisMoon
8th April 2003, 12:51
I know who you are talking about. When did he pass away? I think I read somewhere that you study Masaki-ryu, is that true?

Jason W
8th April 2003, 14:31
Hi Chris,

I believe it is Charles Gruzanski you and Daniel are referring to here, but I am not sure. And, no, I don't study Masaki Ryu - its the shuriken of Negishi and Shirai ryu that I study, although informally.

Thanks to PM's from Daniel I don't really think I need to go any further with this. I was asked by the late Charles G.'s son Robert to help him authenticate some weapons of his father's, I gather for purposes of selling. I was unable to help, and thought of putting him in touch with a learned member of this forum.

Anyway, it seems that he has already approached several members here, so I'm going to let it drop. I can't help him from over here in Oz...

Thanks anyway.

cheers,

Jason

PS: If anyone would like to send me photos, anecdotes or information etc about shuriken, I would be happy to put it up on my Secrets of Shuriken site... I intended it to be a resource for anyone interested in the art.
http://www.aikidoaus.com.au/dojo/shuriken

Chiburi
8th April 2003, 14:32
Just out of curiosity, what kind of an art is Masaki-ryu?

Cheers,

Jason W
8th April 2003, 14:41
Hi Chiburi,

Well, Daniel sama is more qualified to answer this than I, considering he's over there studying the art, but since I'm here, I'll quickly add that its the art of manriki-gusari, a double weighted chain, created about 200 years ago by a swordsman named Dannoshin Toshimitsu Masaki, who was assigned the duty of guarding the main gate of Edo Castle. He felt that the use of the sword and the bloodshed that ensues from its use was inappropriate for the front door step of such an important place, so sought to find a good alternative. So he came up with the chain, and called it "manriki- (meaning 10,000 power) gusari (meaning chain)".
(from Charles Gruzanski's book - "Ninja Weapons: Chain and Shuriken")

chus,

Jason

Don Cunningham
8th April 2003, 20:17
I met with Robert Gruzanski, son of Charles Gruzanski, the author of Spike and Chain (since retitled as Ninja Weapons: Chain and Shuriken), last week at my house in the western suburbs of Chicago. Robert has a number of items from his father's collection and is attempting to get them appraised. Although the jutte he showed me were not particularly old and of little real value, he has two pair of very old manriki-kusari and two antique kusari-gama. (The chain and weight on one of the latter is apparently a modern replacement.) I've asked Nawa Yumio sensei to provide his estimate of the value of the manriki-kusari, but haven't heard back from him yet. I also obtained another estimate on the manriki-kusari from John Quinn at around $2,000 each. I have no idea of the value of kusari-gama, so if someone has expertise in this area, I'm sure he would appreciate it.

BDW
20th April 2003, 02:42
For shurikan you would have to contact one of Hatsumi sensei's students