B699. All 10 of the Robert Haynes auction catalogs. 1981 – 1984. Softbound, 1 & 2 are 11 x 9″ and the rest are 8 x 10″, more than 2,000 pages total. Normally auction catalogs don’t make for good reference material; these are different. Robert Haynes is one of the most knowledgeable kodogu people on earth and he used these catalogs as a teaching tool. Of course, as you would expect, there are thousands of fittings lots arranged by school, and swords (including 1 Kokuho), armor, and woodblock prints and assorted fine art, and these lots are given a much more thorough description than you usually find in auction catalogs, but there are also lessons.

At the front of each catalog you’ll find a serial translation of Tsuba Geijutsuko by Torigoye, discussing in detail the work of various artists and schools of tsuba art.  In the later issues at the back there are lessons on woodblock print appreciation.

The art being auctioned runs the spectrum from entry level to the very best, including some important collections.  I think all pieces are illustrated and the descriptions are thorough.  Prices realized, either on paper or digital, for all 10 are included with the books.

Due to flooding of a warehouse, most of the original copies of #5 were lost; they were replaced with Xerox copies. The copy of #5 in this set is the original, not the Xerox. The books have been used but not abused, except for # 9 which is missing its cover 10 pounds, 2 ounces. Normally $395 but marked down to $325 because of the missing cover.